Jim Magilton's 'night of soul-searching' as boss demands Cliftonville response over 'two cup finals' that now define season

​The Reds’ 2-0 loss at Shamrock Park served to keep alive Portadown hopes of overtaking Cliftonville in the race for seventh spot, with the gap now just two points entering a closing Premiership weekend.

Magilton’s players must react to a first loss in six by avoiding defeat at relegated Loughgall, otherwise a Ports home win over Ballymena United would hand Niall Currie’s side the play-off shot at European football.

A defence of the Irish Cup prize will follow for Cliftonville on May 3 against Dungannon Swifts and Magilton delivered a clear message to his squad of the high stakes now created by Saturday.

“Today is a jolt...you talk about momentum and building up that head of steam, you talk about galloping into a final,” said Magilton at Shamrock Park. “But that was limp and we have to address that pretty quickly.

“There's two cup finals...everything to lose and everything to gain.

“We have to win next week...that's the bottom line.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

He added: “That's a night of soul-searching for me...it's probably now the end of the road for one or two.”

Eamon Fyfe and Josh Ukek scored in each half for home delight that left Magilton reflecting on “a lack of desire” and with another stark warning any suggestion of allowing the Irish Cup final to overshadow the closing days of the league season would not be tolerated.

“It was awful - in terms of our attitude and application to the game...second best from minute one to minute 90,” he said. “A few little moments but not enough...that summed up our season away from home.

“We limped to a 2-0 defeat...there was such a lack of desire to try and get a result.”

He added, on work towards the Irish Cup final: “If people are potentially thinking they're saving themselves for the cup final they're definitely dealing with the wrong individual and wrong staff.

“There will definitely be an upsurge in training and intensity.

“I can honestly tell you that cup final teams are picked even up to the morning of the game.

“I know my strongest 11 but what today tells me is that character and personality on days like today have to stand out.

“And we were left wanting in so many areas.”

Magilton has now set down a marker heading into the defining period of Cliftonville’s campaign.

“I always expect more and that was not acceptable at any standard, at any level,” he said. “For any team of mine it's just not good enough, nowhere near the levels.

“Even if you have a bad day, which we all have, your first thought is to roll up your sleeves and work harder than the opposition and we didn't even do that.

“That can't set into your dressing room, it has to be erased very, very quickly.

“People will make excuses...there are no excuses.

“They may talk about playing at home on a 4G but it's irrelevant, it's always about intent.

“You have to go out with the intent that this is our DNA, this is how we want to play.

“And I didn't see any of that today...really disappointing.”