“I read a lot of the journalists this week, they wrote us off and said we couldn’t win, that means a bit more to me today.”
David Healy was beaming in his post-match interview after Linfield’s gritty 1-0 BetMcLean Cup final win over rivals Glentoran at Windsor Park but clearly wanted to make a point.
While there’s no getting away from the fact that Healy himself has cut a frustrated figure at various stages of the campaign with the Blues toiling in the defence of their Irish Premiership title and being dumped out of the Irish Cup by Championship Limavady United, he still clearly felt that talk of Glentoran having too much for his side in this final was wide of the mark.
Glentoran will argue they had the better chances and could and probably should have put the game to bed in normal time, they didn’t.
Linfield, as they always seem to do on the big days, hung in there with substitute Chris McKee keeping his cool to score the winner from the spot.
Healy’s jubilant celebration at the final whistle showed just how much this League Cup win – the fourth of his tenure – meant and more importantly the manager will hope, what it could do for Linfield for the rest of the season.
They are eight points off leaders Larne with six games to go, but this could prove a timely shot in the arm for the defending champions to launch a late surge up the table.
For now though, Healy wants to celebrate what Linfield have done – showing plenty of fight, and importantly composure in McKee’s case, to take home the League Cup for a record-extending 13th time.
“It’s been well documented it’s been a tough year, I’ll be the first to admit it, it hasn’t gone to plan but we’re still there fighting and today proves it,” he told BBC Sport NI.
“To beat Glentoran, a brilliant team and to win a trophy for Linfield here [at Windsor Park], we’re going to enjoy this.
“It’s easy to think you’ll score a penalty, but in front of so many, in a ‘Big Two’ derby, credit to Chris, what a moment.”
