Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton insists speculation linking him with the Glentoran vacancy had no bearing on Saturday’s Premiership clash between the pair – and declared he was “totally focused on trying to get a result”.

Following Declan Devine’s departure on Monday after two-and-a-half years in charge at The Oval, Magilton was identified as the Glens’ number one target to succeed the ex-Derry City chief.

However, former Northern Ireland international Magilton turned down an approach in favour of remaining at Solitude.

Those links added extra intrigue to Saturday’s meeting with Magilton’s Cliftonville hosting manager-less Glentoran – the visitors won 2-1 to end their four-game winless league run.

placeholder image — Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

"No, no different,” said Magilton when asked about how the week played out from his perspective. “Absolutely no different.

"I was totally focused on the job, totally focused on trying to get a result. Very determined to get a result as I am against whoever I play against.”

When asked if his decision said a lot about his love for the current Cliftonville project, Magilton replied: “No, it says a lot about the project of winning a game of football. That's what it says.”

Glentoran went ahead through Jack Malone’s header, but a fine Dean McMaster free-kick – his third of the season – levelled the scores.

Substitute Jordan Jenkins secured maximum points for the Glens with a finish from close range and Magilton was critical of his side's showing.

"We conceded corner after corner and we were begging for one of those Glentoran lads to score a goal,” he added. “You can't keep doing what we're doing.

"Defensively, two centre-halves, I thought were really poor today.

"If you're not going to win your headers and not get high enough up the pitch, especially when we're dominant, then you're not going to win games of football, and we didn’t...that was a real reminder.

"We were the same for 45 minutes against Larne, we weren't aggressive enough, we lacked that aggression all over the pitch at times.

"We played some decent stuff but the fundamentals to the game is defend both boxes.

"Oli (Samuels) screamed (for the first goal), that's a lack of confidence in Shaun Leppard.

"Shaun hasn't played an awful lot this year but Oli's screamed at him, Shaun's headed it and then Kyle McClelland gets beaten by a five foot ten midfield player.

"It should not happen, should never happen. Overall, I’m really disappointed with the result.”