Oran Kearney: I remind the players we are so privileged

With the country in strict lockdown restrictions and many having lost their jobs or been placed of furlough Kearney knows football is in a fortunate position.

Bar a brief period of inaction at the turn of the year the Danske Bank Premiership has been able to continue and the Bannsiders boss feels the sport has helped with people’s mental health.

“I have found it a big relief to be honest with you,” said Kearney.

“In a selfish way, the week off was tough and it was probably what everyone else experiences where you have no respite and you have nothing but the walls of your house and all with it.

“The privilege, and I call it a privilege, to get out to training on Tuesday and Thursday and then do something functional and of importance today, I remind the players we are so privileged and so lucky to be in this scenario.

“The testing has helped but you can’t under estimate how brilliant it is, not only by playing and winning games of football, but for people’s mental health to get out and mix with people.

“The players and I have been fine where we have been really happy with what the club have done for us.

“The club has been strict and really careful with that we have but the testing gives you that extra piece of mind.”

The Bannsiders look to be back in their groove again after winning their last five games in-a-row.

Tuesday night’s excellent win away at Larne coupled with other results means they have the top three in their sights again.

With the team above them, Crusaders, next up today, Kearney knows just how important it is to get results against the teams in and around you.

“As much as you read into fixtures and head-to-head clashes, you simply have to win all your matches as they all have their own importance,” he said.

“With Larne and Crusaders playing each other last Saturday they dropped two points each whilst we gained two on them because we had to take care and win the match against Dungannon.

“The head-to-heads are important and as far as I’m concerned we were -3 against Larne, Crusaders and Linfield this season up until we won on Tuesday night.

“In seasons gone past when we have gone close, in a lot of those head-to-heads we have had a good record.

“So the most important thing is during that wee spell when confidence is low and they got us at the right time, is that you bounce back.

“We want to put those records right and break even. We did it against Larne on Tuesday and now we have to do it against Crusaders on Saturday.”

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