Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins insists it would be “a brilliant achievement” if the Bannsiders can seal European qualification for the first time since 2021 by beating Cliftonville in Sunday’s play-off final at The Showgrounds.

The County Londonderry outfit entered the Premiership’s European play-offs as the form team – only runaway champions Linfield had collected more league points across the last 15 matches of any side competing in Section A – and continued that momentum in Higgins’ first match since replacing Dean Shiels following a 1-0 semi-final win over Crusaders on Wednesday.

While Coleraine have had defensive struggles at times throughout the campaign, they’ve been a constant goal threat with again David Healy’s Blues (69) the sole team netting more than their 55 and the January arrival of Declan McManus, who scored a midweek winner, has only helped bolster an attacking line that also includes joint-Golden Boot winner Matthew Shevlin.

Coleraine haven’t qualified for Europe since finishing second during the 2020/21 Premiership campaign, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Bosnian outfit Velež Mostar across two legs in the first round of Conference League qualifying.

placeholder image — Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

Sealing progression would bank a minimum of €150,000 + €175,000 per qualifying round played and add further excitement to a new chapter under owner Henry Ross which already includes the imminent arrival of Joel Cooper.

"It would be a brilliant achievement if we could secure European football, we're playing against a really good side in Cliftonville, but we will be ready and looking forward to it,” Higgins told BBC Sport NI. "I’m absolutely delighted with the (Crusaders) result.

"We started the game extremely well, some of the play first half was top drawer and what we want going forward.

"Second half we had to dig deeper and show a bit of grit to see the game out. All we wanted was to get to Sunday and we've done that."

Jim Magilton has won both the Irish Cup and League Cup during his successful two-year stint in charge of Cliftonville and feels qualifying for Europe after finishing seventh would be another special achievement.

"If we qualify for Europe this way it's up there with the great achievements,” he said. “We know it will be a huge task.

"We tend to like to do things the hard way.”