Cliftonville manager Brendan Lynch says the Irish Cup final against Glentoran will be a great game and a real battle between two sides who have prepared as well as they can. He describes it as a showpiece for the occasion and expects a big, big game.
Glentoran manager Kim Turner praised Cliftonville as an absolutely great side with good structures and a well-drilled team. She said the final will come down to mentality, who does the right things on the day, who takes the chances and who wants it more. Both managers believe it will be an amazing evening for everyone and for the women's game as a whole.
The big storyline is that Cliftonville have been denied the chance to win the domestic treble. The Reds were stripped of their League Cup triumph after being ruled to have fielded two ineligible players in July's decider against Glentoran. Caitlin Mc Guinness scored twice, while Kirsty Mc Guinness and Danielle Maxwell also netted in what was originally a 4-0 win. The result has since been reversed to a 3-0 victory for Glentoran. Lynch called the loss of the treble "unfair" despite a dominant performance, but acknowledged "it is what it is." He compared the ruling to Man City's breach of Premier League financial rules, calling it "a technicality if you want."
Glentoran have been retrospectively awarded the trophy, though Turner said her side "lost the game fair and square" and that nothing feels unjust about missing the celebration. Another storyline is the final match of Kelly Bailie's 30-year career with Glentoran, with the defender hanging up her boots after Saturday's final. Turner said the club's saying "be more Kelly" would guide the team to give 100% and win another trophy.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing