IRISH CUP: 'make no mistake - we are ready' Baxter on Crues determination to land trophy for first time in decade
Mallards captain Richard Clarke says Fermanagh side is mentally strong
Last updated 3rd May 2019
One of the biggest dates in the local sporting calendar takes place on Saturday – with the final of the Irish Cup at Windsor Park.
Crusaders face Championship side Ballinamallard who are in the showpiece final for the first time in their history.
The north Belfast side are hoping to end a 10-year wait to lift the famous trophy.
The Crues booked their place in the final after wins over Glentoran, Linfield, Ballymena and Coleraine.
Boss Stephen Baxter believes the Mallards will pose a different challenge but he says his players are prepared for whatever comes their way.
“Sometimes when you are playing Linfield or Coleraine and they are head to head games it’s a break of the ball on the day – they are huge games of football,” he told Downtown & Cool FM.
“And this might be a little bit different – but by the same token – there is a trophy on the line and when there is a trophy on the line you have to make sure your boys are ready and I can tell you they’re definitely ready.”
Baxter says they will definitely not be taking their opponents lightly
“Ballinamallard are not in this final by any mistake – they are there on merit and they will be treated as such.”
Crues captain, Colin Coates (pictured below) echoes his manager's sentiments but said the players were determined to win.
"I totally understand why, it would be a footballing fairytale," he said. "But we're not into fairytales. We're here for our club, our families, and our coaching staff. We're here to win another trophy.
"If we win on Saturday - and it will be tough - we could potentially walk away with two of the four trophies.
"And in anyone's book that's a good season, despite the league form being not quite what we wanted."
Meanwhile Mallards’ manager Harry McConkey acknowledges they are in for a tough afternoon but says his players will give it their all.
"As a manager, there's been a very high profile with all of this, and part of it I have found quite scary.
"But at other times, it's been lovely just to say to myself, 'you're nearly 60 and you thought this would never happen, so just enjoy it.
"I don't care if you're Pep Guardiola or Stevie Baxter, it's very hard to always be sure you'll get that. For me, I've got to trust I've put enough into my players to give them a platform and the confidence to go and play."
Club captain Richard Clarke (pictured above) spent three years with the Crues and before that was a Cup winner with Glentoran.
At 33, he said he never expected to reach another final and will pass on some advice to the younger players
“I remember being a youngster myself – you went out and played with no fear,” he told us.
“I think that factored into the Dungannon game and the Warrenpoint game where we went out and showed no fear at all.
“I think those experiences and the big game mentality we have had this season has really helped us.
“It has really helped the young lads.”
The big game kicks off at 2.30.