Paddy McLaughlin believes in miracles but reckons that’s what it will take if Cliftonville are to bring the Gibson Cup back to Solitude this season.
Having watched Glentoran edge clear at the top of the table thanks to their 1-0 win over chief rivals Linfield on Friday night, the Reds boss knew the pressure was on his team to bag three vital points against Coleraine the following day.
Their slick and stylish victory, secured by two poacher’s goals from Ryan Curran, delighted the Derry man but he insists it’s outlandish to expect his team of part-timers to win the club’s first league crown since 2014.
“It was good to watch Linfield and Glentoran go head to head, realistically they are the two title contenders,” said McLaughlin.
“Everybody else can cling on to the hope that something can happen to totally upset the odds.
“We’re happy enough staying out of the road, let the two big boys battle it out.
“If anything comes our way it’d be brilliant, a footballing miracle.
“I suppose they happen sometimes but Friday night was your battle for the title.”
The bookmakers disagree, with the Reds currently 7/2 to outlast their neighbours to the south and east of the city, and if McLaughlin can keep his team purring as they did against the Bannsiders then fans will have every right to dream.
“We played some great football,” added the 42-year-old.
“The goals we scored were well-worked, they weren’t just goals out of nothing.
“The boys have that in their locker, they’re good players and whenever you take the shackles off and let them enjoy themselves that’s what they can do.
“It’s never comfortable against Coleraine, they’re a good side with really good players.
“But I thought the boys were very professional and accomplished in everything they had to do throughout the 90 minutes.”
While Curran’s brace made it 14 league goals for the forward this season, once again the star of the show was winger Jamie McDonagh, who had a big hand in both strikes and peppered the Coleraine goal with an array of audacious efforts throughout.
McLaughlin added: “Jamie’s been superb, a brilliant signing for us.
“He likes to entertain by going at people, scoring goals, and he has an unbelievable record of assists.
“He’s a real talent but it’s important he keeps his head down and keeps working hard because if he gets comfortable he can drift out of games.
“When he’s in the kind of form he’s shown over the last six or seven weeks he’s one of the top talents in the league so it’s important we keep him fit because when he plays like he is at the minute he’s untouchable.”
