No excuse for failure, warns Mcmenamin
prize but the Irish Cup remains a major trophy and it was a more realistic target for us this season than the championship which wasn’t able to be completed.
“Any major trophy at this point for ourselves would be fantastic. Our goal was to become competitive again and it’s a fantastic achievement to be so close to an Irish Cup final.
“I just hope we can go out and perform, earning a place in the final.”
CLIFTONVILLE striker Conor Mcmenamin says there will be no excuses from his side if they let their Irish Cup dream slip away.
The preparation for the big semi-finals has been far from ideal for all four teams but the clubs are still grateful for the opportunity to win the prize and seal a Europa League place.
It’s well documented that the Reds haven’t won the glittering prize since 1979 and as the Red Army aren’t allowed to march towards Windsor Park, perhaps that will lift some of the expectation and pressure on the players’ shoulders.
More than four decades without Irish Cup success is a decent sized drought but the players should relish the chance to become heroes and make history.
The last-four showdown with Glentoran on Monday night (8pm) would have attracted a bumper crowd but now it must be played without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fans will be cheering on at home while they follow the action on television and Mcmenamin (above) says his side know how they must perform.
“There hasn’t been much preparation time but they are the same as us and whatever happens no one will be able to complain,” said the 24-year-old.
“There will be no excuses. It may come down to who is the strongest and fittest but you can’t get match fitness without playing games.
“It will be a new experience, we haven’t played a cup semi-final in a virtually empty stadium.
“There’s a European place up for grabs too. We felt harshly done by when the league season was suspended. Linfield may well have gone on and won the league but I felt we could have beaten Institute and Warrenpoint which might have put us into third position.
“But our mindset will be win the Irish Cup and forget about the league table now.
“We are under no illusions how tough it is going to be, they are a fantastic fulltime side with some brilliant players.”
If the Reds players can hold their nerve, the Class of ’79 will be thrilled that another special Irish Cup chapter has been written.
“Paddy (Mclaughlin) has drilled it into us how long it has been since the club last won the trophy,” added Mcmenamin.
“Win this and we could be sitting in Solitude in 40 years still talking about it. That’s a big incentive for the club and we have had our eyes on it for a long time since the league challenge slipped away.” • CLIFTONVILLE have made their first signing of the summer as Ryan O’reilly joins the Reds from Championship side Ballinamallard United.