David Healy savoured Linfield's 1-0 BetMcLean Cup final victory over Glentoran at Windsor Park, using his post-match interview to hit back at journalists who had written off his team. The Blues manager, who has faced frustration this season with his side struggling in the Irish Premiership, watched substitute Chris McKee score the decisive penalty in the tense derby.

Glentoran dominated much of the match and will feel they should have won in normal time, but Linfield's resilience on the big occasion proved decisive. This is Healy's fourth League Cup triumph, extending Linfield's record to 13 titles. The win could provide crucial momentum for the defending champions, who trail leaders Larne by eight points with six games remaining.

For McKee, a boyhood Linfield fan with limited game time this season, it was a dream moment that may also be his parting gift before a potential summer departure. The 23-year-old admitted he was emotional in the final minutes, describing it as the stuff he'd dreamed of since childhood. Healy's jubilant celebration showed how much this victory meant, not just for the trophy but for what it could do for Linfield's season. The manager acknowledged it's been a tough year but insisted his team is still fighting, proving it with this gritty win.