“I’ve read a lot of reports this week from reporters who are dismissing us and saying we can’t win, and that means more to me.”
David Healy was all smiles in his post-match interview following Linfield’s 1-0 win over rivals Glentoran at Windsor Park, but he clearly wanted to make his point.
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While Healy himself has been frustrated at various stages of the season with the Blues struggling to defend the Irish Premier League title only to be knocked out of the Irish Cup by champions Limavady United, he remains clear that suggestions that Glentoran would be too much for his side in this final are unrealistic.
While Glentoran would argue they had the better chance and could and probably should have finished the game in normal time, they didn’t.
Linfield, as they always do on big days, held on and substitute Chris McGee kept his cool to score from the penalty spot.
Healy’s jubilant celebration at the final whistle showed just how much this Carabao Cup victory – the fourth of his tenure – meant, and more importantly what the manager hopes it will bring to Linfield for the rest of the season.
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They are eight points behind leaders Larne with six games remaining, but this could be a timely shot in the arm as the defending champions surge towards the bottom of the table.
But for now, Healy wants to celebrate what Linfield did – showing plenty of fight and, importantly, composure in the absence of McGee, to lift the League Cup for a record 13th time.
“There’s good evidence that it’s been a difficult year and I’ll be the first to admit that, although things haven’t gone to plan we’ve still fought and today proved that,” he told BBC Sport NI.
“Beat Glentoran, a fantastic team and win a trophy for Linfield [at Windsor Park]we will enjoy this.
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“It’s easy to think you’re going to score a penalty, but in front of so many people, in a big-two derby, Chris, it was a real moment.”
“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid” – McGee
For McGee, who has been a Linfield fan since childhood, his game time this season has been limited and coming off the bench to score the winning goal on the biggest stage was a fairytale ending.
It could also be the 23-year-old’s last major contribution in a Linfield shirt, with rumors linking him with a move away in the summer and he will certainly be keen to relish the opportunity and his potential parting gift.
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“The last five minutes of the game, I was so excited. I didn’t even know what was happening – it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he said.
“Winning trophies, that’s all I’ve done since arriving at Linfield, but to score the winning goal in the final against Glentoran – I couldn’t believe it!
“We deserve it, it’s not an easy place for people to play but with the boys there we don’t get too high or too low.
“Honestly, have we been good enough this year? No, we haven’t been good enough in parts of the season, but we’re not going to get too low and we’re going to keep going.”
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Blues fans will surely be hoping this can be a springboard to an unlikely title bid.
