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Steven Crawford

Rodney McAree urges his Glentoran players to take their opportunity in European race

Rodney McAree has praised his Glentoran side for keeping the race for an automatic European spot going into the final game.

The Glens lie three points off second placed Linfield with one game to play after they picked up their second 3-0 win on the bounce following their victory over Coleraine on Saturday.

McAree knows his side have to beat Crusaders at Seaview to have any chance and hope their Big Two rivals slip up at Cliftonville.

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"The win sets us up well for going into our final league match," said the glens boss.

"It's our next opportunity to get three points and we have to go there and target three points.

"We spoke about giving ourselves an opportunity, to put ourselves in a position where we can maybe affect things and we've done that.

'We can't affect anything if we don't go to Seaview and win so we have to go there, focus on our job in hand and have to go there and try to get the three points.

"If we don't get three points it's irrelevant - we have to win the game of football.

"But we're looking forward to it and we'll go and embrace the challenge.

"It would be nice to get European football.

"Everybody wants to win the league. In my opinion the best team has won the league.

"Larne have been the best team across the whole of the season and congratulations to them.

"If we end up finishing second or qualifying for Europe we see it as a satisfactory season."

Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn bagged a brace in the win over the Bannsiders, and McAree is delighted with his goal contribution.

"Niall's been exceptional since he's come in - think that's nine he's scored since he came in in January so it's a very good return for a man of his age as well," he said

"His first finish was a great finish - he showed everything that Niall McGinn has in his locker - touch, technique and a good striker of the ball and it's found it's way into the top corner. It was a great goal."

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