FULL POST-MATCH REACTION: Jim Magilton delight as Cliftonville seal Irish Cup final showdown with Linfield following Larne victory

On thoughts after the match

"It was a fantastic performance. When you think about the quality of the opposition, you have to come up with a game plan and I thought we frustrated them to a large extent.

"At half-time it was about reinforcing the positives of our team and what we’re all about – be more composed playing through pressure...they’re a high pressing team and don’t give you a minute so you need to have the courage to play.

"We spoke about taking our opportunities and I thought we picked them off really well and we’d one or two more to kill the game.

"Overall it was a fantastic performance. Concentration levels have to be so high when you’re playing against top players.

"When you think about the goal run that Andy Ryan and Lee Bonis are on, Levi Ives and Tomas Cosgrove have 21 assists between them and Leroy Millar is a threat, so to nullify all those dangers is hugely satisfying for the players.

"Credit goes to the players because they were marvellous.”

On essentially securing European football and Irish Cup final in first season after mixed reaction to appointment in summer

"I mind my own business...everybody has an opinion and that’s fine. There’s social media and everything, but it never bothered me – I was more focused on could I improve the players?

"It took me a little time to come to the reality that I could, that I could work with them and that we could go places.

“I have never got bogged down in that in my football life and am not going to start now.”

On Shea Kearney

"He’s a fantastic young player and he’s learning more with every game by playing alongside the likes of Jonny Addis. Odhran Casey has been amazing, as has Paddy Burns...it’s always tough coming into a new side and trying to replace a player like Luke Turner is a big ask.

“The back five were magnificent today – Sean Stewart was super on the back of a strong performance for Northern Ireland U21s.

"We had four internationals away last week with two U21s and two U17s and that’s a credit to them boys and the club.

"It can be slightly disruptive for your preparations, but we were spot on and I’m so pleased.”

On how many times he’s had to speak about an Irish Cup hoodoo

"Quite a bit! Everyone talks about it, but I don’t – I talk about what we’re going to do and to be fair to Marty Quinn, I think he said he hopes we win it just to take it away from us!

"These players deserve all the credit and they now have an opportunity to play in a showcase final against a top side and I think they deserve it.

"We’re going into this game hopefully full of confidence and we’ve another big game on Tuesday night.”

On how much this victory over a top-two side could benefit Cliftonville’s mindset

"You either believe in what you’re doing or you don’t – there’s no halfway house here.

"You either believe in the players to carry out the instructions...these lads go on the pitch and don’t need many instructions, albeit we had a lovely game plan today and it worked a treat for us.

"Tuesday will be a different mindset and game. We’ve had opportunities to win these games and we just haven’t taken them, but today we did and the ball bounced for us.

"We’re very respectful of Larne and what they bring to the table, so we have to get ready for Tuesday.”