Cliftonville Manager Jim Magilton Emphasizes Importance of Upcoming Larne Fixture

Cliftonville currently holds the second position in the Irish Premiership table. Jim Magilton, the manager of Cliftonville, stated that while his team has displayed “glimpses of quality” throughout the current season, he is seeking greater consistency from them. The Reds, who are currently second in the league standings, are scheduled to face defending champions Larne this Sunday at Inver Park. This match will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. Magilton expressed his desire for the Reds to build upon their significant 4-0 victory over Loughgall from the previous weekend. He remarked, “Sunday is a massive game, we will see where we’re at, I’m happy but there is room for improvement.” Magilton further added, “We had a blip against Ballymena, but we have shown glimpses of quality and control, we have had lapses that haven’t been so pleasing but it is about momentum and trying to continue that.” When questioned about the timing of facing Larne, considering the Inver side’s recent European engagement on Thursday night where they lost 1-0 to Olimpija in Ljubljana, Magilton offered his perspective. However, the Reds’ manager firmly asserted that there is “no good time” to play against the Inver outfit, particularly as it will mark new manager Nathan Rooney’s inaugural match at the helm. He continued by stating, “They have a big enough squad; will they be sidetracked [by European football]? No,” and added, “Cliftonville at home is a big fixture so they will refocus very quickly, new manager in the dugout and he will be expecting a reaction because they’re playing catch up.”