David Healy backs Linfield to bounce back from Euro heartache

The Blues head to Carrick Rangers in Sunday in the Danske Bank Premiership three days after their gut-wrenching penalty shootout defeat to RFS, which denied them a place in the group stage of the Europa Conference League.

And while Healy acknowledged his squad may not have a spring in their step again just yet as they come to terms with the dramatic events at Windsor Park late on Thursday night, he has backed them to be focused on the job in hand.

“Sometimes when you get a game so quickly after something like this you try and rewrite a few wrongs, but I don’t think there were many wrongs in our performance,” he told the club website.

“I’m gutted for the club, I’m gutted for the supporters and I’m gutted for everyone involved with the club.

“I’ve a dressing room in there which is basically on its knees, and rightly so because they’ve put so much into it.

“I have good people around me so I will pick myself up quickly, I’ll puff my chest out with the players beside me and I have no doubt we will go again.

“We will be better for the experience. It might take a few days, I’m not going to lie and say we’ll be turning up on Sunday feeling perky.

“Of course we will perform, and I’ve no doubt the team we select to go to Carrick will wear the shirt with pride like we always ask them to."