After week of upheaval at Warrenpoint Town, Fra McCaffrey admits shocking Linfield in Irish Cup would be 'incredible achievement'

​While David Healy’s Blues opened up a four-point lead at the Premiership summit following victory over Crusaders on Tuesday evening, Warrenpoint were coming to terms with the departure of their manager Barry Gray to neighbours Newry City.

They’ve also now lost star player Steven Ball, who has joined his former boss at the Showgrounds, while first team coach Dermot McVeigh linked up with Gray as part of his backroom staff seven miles down the road.

John Gill has taken interim charge of the Milltown outfit until the end of this season with Saturday’s trip to Belfast a lesser priority than securing Premier Intermediate League promotion, but McCaffrey admits it’ll be a memorable experience for younger members of the squad.

"It's going to be tough, but enjoyable because we've a load of young boys who have never played at Windsor before and they are buzzing to get in the place and get a feel for it,” he said. “It would be an incredible achievement, especially with the week we've had at the club with Barry leaving.

"If we were to get some sort of result it would give the club a big lift. Beating them is something that would be remembered forever so you have to give it your all.”

Rather than entering this season’s competition at the fifth round stage, something they’ve become accustomed to in recent times, Warrenpoint have had to battle their way through four matches, starting with August’s victory over Belfast Celtic.

"It was difficult,” admitted McCaffrey. “They weren't easy ties. We played the likes of St Oliver Plunkett's, Belfast Celtic, Abbey Villa - people expect because you're Warrenpoint that you can go out and beat these teams six or seven and it's easy, but none of them are.

"It's a cup final for those teams and they give everything.

"They want to go out and kick you and those games are harder at times because you don't know what to expect, but when you play against Linfield you know them, have watched them, heard of them and know what their game is, so you go in with a more settled game plan.

"It's very difficult because it's massive for them, but now the tables have turned and it's massive for us to play against Linfield."

McCaffrey admits not making it at least one step further in 2019 still stings after Stephen McDonnell’s side were dumped out on penalties by Championship side Ballinamallard United, who went on to lose against Crusaders.

"That's a big regret for me because I didn't play in it due to injury...it was a massive chance for us to get to the final,” he said. "It's one big regret that I have that we didn't get to a final because we had such a good run to get there.

"Since then, we've played Crusaders, Linfield last year and now this one too, so you'll never get a better chance to get to the final."