Niall Currie embracing special 10-day spell for Portadown as his side look to cause cup shocks against country's elite

The Ports welcome Cliftonville to Shamrock Park this evening for an Irish Cup quarter-final clash, which marks their 11th cup match of the season – and seventh against top-flight opposition – before taking on Linfield in the BetMcLean Cup final next Sunday.

Currie’s men have a perfect record to date, winning each of the previous 10 as they celebrated Mid-Ulster Cup success against Dungannon Swifts while also enjoying runs in two other tournaments, beating the likes of Crusaders, Carrick Rangers and Glenavon along the way.

Their main aim for the season has always been to secure an immediate return to the Premiership – they currently sit fourth – and going deep in multiple competitions means they’ve had to reschedule a number of league matches.

"There are different ways of looking at it,” said Currie. “I think it can be a positive, but my biggest problem with it is falling behind in the league campaign.

"We're going to have to play catch-up now and it will put huge pressure on us, but would I swap being in the Irish Cup quarter-final and the final of the BetMcLean Cup? No I wouldn't.

"We will enjoy the next couple of weeks starting with Friday night. We will go out and really give it our all and enjoy the occasion.

"It will be a great night with a great atmosphere just as it will be next Sunday.

"Results will look after themselves, we just have to make sure we give a good account of ourselves.”

While Jim Magilton’s Reds come into the fixture having lost their last two league matches, they’ve still scored more goals (70) than any other team in the Irish League pyramid this season and will welcome talisman Rory Hale back from suspension.

"It's another game we weren't expecting to have,” added Currie. "We're facing a top, top team, but if we do our due diligence and are at our best we'll make a game of it.

"It's at our place, we'll have a great crowd at it and the atmosphere is going to be fantastic.

"They're meant to come here and beat us, it's as simple as that. I'm a realist, they're meant to come and beat us, so let's see if they can.

"If you're not at your best against these elite teams then it can be a very awkward and punishing night. If our performance levels are very high we can certainly hurt them.

"I don't think you get these elite teams at a good time. Cliftonville are different gravy and if you get them on a good night for them you're in trouble...with the quality of the players they have and the quality of the manager you're relying on them having an off-night.

"The big thing is these teams take their chances – they can open you up like a can of beans sometimes.

"If we're on it, if we can stay in the game and let it extend then we'll be very dangerous for them."