Cliftonville boss Paddy McLaughlin is relishing Tuesday night’s title ‘six pointer’ with Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.
The Reds lie just a point below the Glens and reigning champions Linfield, who are top on goal difference, heading into the last nine games of the season.
The stakes are growing as the final strait lurches into view, but McLaughlin is delighted that the Solitude men are in the thick of the title equation.
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There’s also the little matter of a League Cup final with Coleraine on Sunday and an Irish Cup semi-final with North Belfast rivals Crusaders next month.
“It’s brilliant,” said McLaughlin. “This is why we’re in the game and I love it. The players love it, the fans, the staff and everybody associated with the club.
“It’s a brilliant and exciting time to be involved with Cliftonville and that’s why we’re involved in football. We’re in this business to try and compete for trophies and that what's we want to do.
“We want to try and get into cup finals and challenge at the top end and I can’t praise the players enough for getting us into this position.”
While Cliftonville, who are 12 points better off than they were at the same stage last season, are a point off the leaders, McLaughlin insists title success remains the stuff of dreams.
“We’re clinging on by our fingertips to any chance we might have in the league, but that’s just fairytale stuff,” he said.
“There are still nine games to be played and we have to be realistic because I don’t see Linfield or Glentoran losing too many games at this stage of the season.
“But if they do slip up, it’s up to us to capitalise on it. Up until this point, the boys have been superb and they have gone toe-to-toe with everybody else in the league.”
Glentoran, chasing their first league title since 2009, have won eight of their last nine league games at the Oval, their only defeat a 3-2 loss to Larne on New Year’s Day.
Mick McDermott’s men have also lost just two of their last 20 in all competitions, a run that includes an entertaining 2-1 win at Solitude in January.
“The Glens have been excellent this season,” said McLaughlin. “Mick has done a brilliant job there and he has some serious quality in his squad.
“They’re a team that’s going to be up there challenging for the next number of years, but we’ve done well against them.
“We won 1-0 (at Solitude in September) and in the 2-1 defeat we were disappointed not to take something from it. Big Aaron McCarey made some excellent saves for them.
“It’ll be tough going to the Oval and it’s another big occasion, but the form my players are in at the minute, they’ll look forward to it.”
Linfield, who are top on goal difference, travel to Ballymena United who are unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions at the Showgrounds.
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