Creating Dungannon Swifts history, replicating father Joe's achievement and Irish Cup excitement - Rodney McAree after Crusaders victory

The County Tyrone outfit are enjoying a dream campaign and rounded out their league season on a high thanks to John McGovern’s second half winner – acting as the perfect preparation for next weekend’s Irish Cup final showdown with Cliftonville.

Here’s what McAree had to say after the match:

THOUGHTS ON THAT PERFORMANCE?

"I didn’t think it was very good!

"I thought we were a little bit slow in the first half and had no real fluency or do things quick enough, but we weren’t far away...I’ve seen us much better.

"When our backs we against the wall late on in the game we looked like a team who wanted to keep a clean sheet and get the three points.

"Speed in our play really (is what was lacking). We were very slow in getting the ball from A to B, whether that’s because it’s a warmer day or the pitch is a bit slower, I don’t know.

"We made changes and maybe they made us a bit slower too, I don’t know. I just thought we needed to play with a bit more urgency than we did and if we had have done that, we could have made it a bit easier for ourselves.”

ANY INJURIES OR KNOCKS HEADING INTO FINAL?

"We have a long-term one with Niall Owens, Caolan Marron has a groin strain – he’s probably the only one we’re concerned about.

"We’re managing Dean Curry the best we can but we feel Dean will be available for selection.

"At this moment in time it’s looking after him and making sure we have that option of Dean in the final.

"Dean has been training and did the warm-up with the boys too.”

HAPPY WITH HOW YOU’VE USED THIS TIME IN THE SPLIT?

"When you’re going into the split, we find ourselves in the top-six and it’s difficult.

"It’s where we want to be...maybe it’s a surprise to a lot of people or maybe even ourselves that we’re there.

"Last season we got 15 points out of 15 in the split in the bottom-six and you wonder how many you’ll get in the top-six...we actually got seven so to get two wins and a draw isn’t a bad return, especially when you’ve an Irish Cup final coming up and it’s in the back of people’s minds.”

JOINT-HIGHEST PREMIERSHIP FINISH EVER – SOME ACHIEVEMENT?

"I think it’s our highest points tally – I think the highest before this was 56.

"I’m equalling my dad (Joe) by finishing fourth and Dixie (Robinson) was manager when we got 56 and now we’ve got 57 so I’ve beaten him!

"My dad was here today...my mum and sister come to every game, home and away. Dad comes when he can get away from the youth.

"They are having a reunion today for the team that won the 1988 Mid-Ulster Cup so all those players were here and he has came to spend a bit of quality time with old friends.

"He will be there at the final and that’s the most pleasing thing for me today that we’ve won 1-0 with him here – he can’t use it now as him being a scud! If we had lost 1-0 I would have had my doubts but now we’ve won 1-0 he will be there!”

HOW MUCH WILL YOU ENJOY THIS WEEK AND WILL ANYTHING CHANGE?

"It will not look anything different in terms of preparation, we will still do our normal schedule in training Tuesday and Thursday – we won’t add any extra days in.

"It seems to have worked for us over the season so ultimately it’s another game, albeit it’s a much bigger one than most.

"It’s great to be able to focus on it now and it’s good for the players.

"You can see that people are thinking about the final and even when I’m doing a team talk you’re talking about the team you’re playing against but also highlighting Cliftonville too.

"Things come into conversations so we have all had it in the back of our minds, not just the players.

"It’s easy to turn around and say ‘one game at a time’, but that’s rubbish – it’s always in the back of your mind.

"I think we’ve dealt with it extremely well and done really well – our performance against Glentoran was exceptional, parts of today were good, but it needs to be better again.”