LET’S MCGINN AGAIN Northern Ireland have got out of the winning habit but Niall says they’re ready to turn corner

FRIENDLY fire in Dublin, but also a derby duel that can help Northern Ireland ignite momentum ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Amidst the glossy photo opportunities and sound bites of border bragging rights, Niall Mcginn knows the value of a win at Aviva Stadium.

A strong case can be made for accentuating the positives of recent performances, but as the Aberdeen winger pointed out: “It’s a results-based business”.

Just one win in six outings – and three defeats from three in the Nations League – leaves Michael O’neill’s men seeking a spark in Dublin.

“Hopefully we can turn results around sooner rather than later,” said Mcginn.

“Performances have been good but you want to be winning games. We have to take the right approach and get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.

“The Aviva is a great environment to play in and we have to use Thursday night as another opportunity to get a good result.”

Mcginn is relishing the prospect of being given free rein against the Republic after sitting out last month’s Nations League defeats in Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina with an injury.

His last cap came in September’s 2-1 defeat to the Bosnians in Belfast, a vibrant wing display that goes down as one of his finest in a green shirt.

“I was delighted to get the nod and felt really good that night,” he said. “Michael spoke to me before the game and told me to go out and play with freedom.

“He said ‘enjoy yourself, you’re at a stage of your career where you have achieved a lot in international football, you’ve played and scored in a major tournament’. For him to say that was massive and it gave me confidence to get on the ball and create.

“You want to do well but more importantly you want the team to do well. We did that, but it is a results-based business and you want to be winning, so it was a massive disappointment to lose.” Mcginn featured in the last official meeting of the two Irelands in 2011, when a depleted Northern Ireland lost 5-0 in the old Carling Nations Cup.

Nigel Worthington’s panel was missing a raft of key players and included Irish League players Colin

Coates, Alan Blayney and

Robert Garrett.

Add in a Craig Cathcart own goal, a red card for young defender Adam Thompson, who was winning the last of his two caps, and it was a evening to forget.

“It was a difficult night,” said Mcginn.

“But I think Thursday will be different because there will be a bigger crowd and better atmosphere.

“There are a lot of their players playing in similar leagues to ourselves. It will be a game with a lot of good players on show and it will be a great arena to play football in.

“They haven’t had good results either so all in all it has the makings of a competitive game.”

On the prospect of facing Republic captain Seamus Coleman (inset), Mcginn said: “When I signed for Celtic, Seamus was there on trial.

“To think Celtic didn’t sign him was obviously a massive disappointment for them when you look at the unbelievable career he has gone on to have at a high level with

Everton.”