Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JAMIE & THE MAGIC TOUCH
Blues skipper lifts third trophy of season as he lavishes praise on gaffer Healy
LINFIELD captain Jamie Mulgrew believes David Healy has proven he is the right man to bring the “glory days” back to Windsor Park. Healy (below) signed a new two year contract extension until 2020 just hours after leading the Big Two giants to treble success in Saturday’s Tennent’s Irish Cup final at Windsor Park. The Blues’ commanding 3-0 win over Coleraine in front of a crowd of 12,551 made it three trophies from four domestic competitions this season alongside the league title and County Antrim Shield. Mulgrew, who has been pivotal in delivering Linfield’s first major honours in five years, said: “We have a manager who drives us on and expects a lot. “He works incredibly hard, sets the standards and expects the same from us. If you don’t meet his expectations, you won’t play or be here. It was exactly the same under David Jeffrey. That’s why this club has been so successful – it has an appetite for success and under this manager, that will continue into next season.” Mulgrew is the lone survivor of Linfield’s Clean Sweep squad of 2006, the start of a dominant period which saw the Blues win six doubles in seven years under Jeffrey before the onset of a barren spell in 2012. Did the experienced midfielder, who was recently voted Ulster Football of the Year, fear he’d never see such days again? “Yes,” he said. “I’m 30 now and you think about those things a lot more. We hadn’t won anything in a long time which wasn’t acceptable. “I was spoilt with success in my early years, so this season means a lot. I wanted to fight to be part of a successful team. We all fear it not happening.” Linfield were simply too good for a nervy Coleraine who failed to hit the heights that saw them go on a run of 14 wins and three draws in all competitions after Christmas. Hat-trick hero Andy Waterworth pounced for two goals in four minutes midway through the opening period and swept home a cross from the superb Paul Smyth three minutes from time. The striker’s treble was the first time a player had scored three or more goals had been scored in the Irish Cup final since Billy Mcavoy bagged four for Ards in 1969. Remarkably, it was Waterworth’s second hat-trick in seven days following the previous week’s title clinching 3-1 win at Cliftonville. “It doesn’t get much better than that,” he said. “To score two hat-tricks in two massive games is a dream come true. “To be honest, I’m probably more delighted for the team because for the past four years since I arrived at Linfield, we have been living in the shadows of former players and teams. “People had a go. We didn’t take it personally, but it’s nice to win three trophies.”