Former Irish League star leaning on past Irish Cup experience in bid to help Bangor reach showpiece decider

Bangor, who won the Irish Cup in 1992/93, hadn’t reached the competition’s last-four before this season’s success since 2006, when Douglas was part of a team that lost out 3-1 to eventual champions Linfield.

Boss Feeney will also be able to lean on past memories having helped the Blues progress into a semi-final showdown against Glentoran before making his move to Scottish giants Rangers.

They’re aiming to repeat the feat of Ballinamallard United by reaching the Windsor Park showpiece decider as a Championship club, where they’d take on reigning champions Cliftonville, and Douglas says experiences from 19 years ago will help prepare Bangor’s players for their latest attempt.

“I remember that season, we had a very good season,” Douglas told the club’s website. “We went, I think it was something like 14 games unbeaten in the league prior to the semi-final.

“We had a couple of good results in the Irish Cup and obviously a good cup run. It was a nice distraction from the league, but we missed out on promotion – that was probably the main goal at the start of the season.

“We were going in against Linfield at Seaview and find ourselves down to 10 men after about 10, 15 minutes of the game which obviously made it difficult.

“But we gave a good account of ourselves in the end and it was a good experience for us as players.

“As an assistant manager, you take more responsibility. When you’re in the coaching staff or you’re the assistant manager, you’ve a squad to manage, you’ve to look after every player.

“When you’re a player, you’re sort of making sure you’re ready and you’re right and you’re mentally right and you prepare right.

“But it’s one of them occasions that players love to be a part of, and when I was part of it, I probably didn’t realise that would be my last opportunity to play in such a prestigious game.

“That’s probably the message we’ll be giving our players going into Saturday – ensure that, first and foremost, they prepare properly for it, and secondly, they don’t let the occasion get to them, that they go and actually embrace the challenge and enjoy it and show the capabilities that they have.

“We know the quality’s there within the squad to go and give a good account of ourselves.”

Dungannon have enjoyed a superb season and are now hoping to add a first Irish Cup final since 2007 to a list of achievements which already includes securing their maiden top-six Premiership finish in 15 years.

“Dungannon have had a fantastic season,” added Douglas. “They’ve been absolutely fantastic and, in my opinion, they’re probably the team of the year.

“Nobody expected Dungannon to be sitting where they are at this stage of the season and deservedly so – they’ve had some fantastic results.

“They have some fantastic players, a good mix of experience and youth coming through.

“They’ve a well-documented great youth set-up there and they give players opportunities. Over the years they’ve done that and it’s starting to take fruition now where they have that good mix.

“Where Dungannon are isn’t a lie – they’ve deserved it, they’ve deserved all the accolades they’ve got this season.

“We’re under no illusions, we know exactly what we’re going in to face – we’re facing a top-quality team that’s fighting for Europe and probably at this stage of the season, they expect to get into Europe, so that’s what we’re up against.

“But it’ll be a good challenge for our players. Our players have had a good season themselves in the Championship and this is another step up.

“Everybody’s expecting Dungannon to win the game, but we’ll be going in with a game-plan and hoping that if we get opportunities, we can take them and hope they have an off day.”