ANOTHER OCCASION LIKE THIS WOULD BE SLO GOOD

Cathcart targets another memorable Euros night after Greek party in 2015

CRAIG CATHCART has savoured the joy of sealing tournament football at Windsor Park before and he’s eager to experience the same euphoria later this week.

Five years ago Watford defender Cathcar t was revelling in the champagne glory of securing a place at the Euro 2016 finals with an historic 3-1 win over Greece in Belfast.

The joyous snapshots and post-match celebrations as Northern Ireland marked their first major tournament in three decades are seared in the memory.

Former boss Michael O’neill being tossed into the air by jubilant players and Ky l e L a f f e r t y d o u s i n g Sky Sports reporter Paul Gilmour with beer during a live interview.

How Northern Ireland drew 1-1 with Finland – courtesy of Cathcart’s first ever international goal – in the final group game three days later is anyone’s guess.

And here we are five years later with Cathcart (below) and Northern Ireland just one win away from booking a place at next summer’s Euro 2020 finals.

Beat Slovakia and the Green and White Army w i l l b e ma r c h i n g o n back-to-back Europ ean Championships. “I have really fond memories of that Greece win and I remember a lot about the game – although maybe not so much about after it,” smiled Cathcart.

“After the final whistle was just great, everyone on the pitch together and j ust that feeling of

knowing we had reached the Euro finals. It was just the whole feeling of qualifying and everyone was ecstatic, so to get the chance to experience that feeling again is sure to drive a lot of the lads on.”

Cathcart played all four games at the

Euro 2016 finals in France and is determined to add a second major tournament to his CV next summer.

The likes of Steven Davis, who scored twice against Greece in 2015, Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas, Niall Mcginn, Josh Magennis and Lafferty are in the same boat.

But while Cathcart has personal ambitions, he is just as eager for the younger players and those who missed out on France to experience one of football’s biggest stages.

“Having done it before, as a group of older players we want those younger players to have the chance to experience it as well,” he said.

Northern Ireland suffered play-off pain in a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Switzerland in a World Cup shootout in 2017 thanks to a horrible penalty decision in the first leg in Belfast.

And while Cathcart didn’t feature in either game because of injury, he says that loss still stands as a motivation three years later.

“I was in the dressing room with the lads after the first leg in Belfast and it was so disappointing,” he said. “I also remember how unlucky we were not to get a result in the second leg.

“I do think that motivated us heading into this campaign. We want to put things right this time.”