Former Glenavon Irish Cup final hero Gerard McMahon is hoping he can help Loughgall slay last year’s Bob Radcliffe Cup demons.
Last season season Loughgall lost 1-0 to Lurgan Celtic in the Boxing Day final.
Assistant Manager McMahon believes the Villagers can get revenge this year when the two sides renew rivalries at Lakeview Park, Loughgall.
“I’ve watched Lurgan Celtic three or four times and they’re an excellent side, so I fully expected a tight match.
“Getting to a cup final has given the whole club a bit of a lift, so hopefully we can win the trophy after last season’s disappointment.”
Since McMahon joined manager Colin Malone in October the Championship One side have vastly improved, although Celtic are also performing well in Championship Two.
McMahon’s brothers-in-law Ciaran O’Kane is the manager of Lurgan Celtic. He believes his side can repeat last year’s Boxing Day, knock-out blow.
“We’re the holders of the cup and retaining it was something we targeted at the start of the season, so to make the final again was very important to us.
“We’ve met Championship One sides on five separate occasions now and we’ve won all five games. We also beat Loughgall with a similar squad last season, so we know we’re capable winning on Boxing Day.”
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