'You only get one chance at football' - Message to players as Glenavon face familiar opposition in search of season's first
Glenavon will hope to use familiarity this weekend to achieve a first for the club this season when facing Cliftonville for the second time in eight days.
Back-to-back meetings marks an opportunity for Michael O’Connor’s Lurgan Blues to build on league success over the Reds with Clearer Water Irish Cup progress.
Last weekend’s superb fightback win offered another lifeline in Glenavon’s against-the-odds fight to beat the drop out of Premiership football – with the 2-1 victory a fifth league success since O’Connor took on the manager role last October.
A knockout tie offers more immediate rewards with the prize of the Irish Cup quarter-finals.
O’Connor wants his players to embrace the different challenges of the different competitions.
"It's football...you only get one chance at football, it's a short career, you can't just let it pass you by,” said O’Connor. “The more you win, the more it breeds confidence and you can get on a run.
"So all our wins are coming home...we haven't won a back-to-back games and we haven't won away from Mourneview Park.
"We haven't won back-to-back or away...so this is a good chance to break that duck.
"And also, everyone wants to get to a cup final...it’s is massive for the club and for the fans.”
O’Connor welcomes the growing spirit from the stands and in the squad.
“The boys are really giving me everything...even when we're getting beat I'm telling them how proud I am of them,” he said. "And even the boys that aren't starting, they're driving the ones that are on the pitch.
“When I came in I knew where the club was...the fans are behind us all the way, they can see that the boys are giving everything.
"That’s really important, I think, as a club...everyone needs to stick together and see what happens.
"We've strengthened as well...I think the boys coming in have really lifted the standards and pushed the rest of the boys on.
"I'm happy to leave players out...I’ve had to leave Barney McKeown out (against Cliftonville in the league win) and he’s my captain.
"It’s all tactically.
"Barney was the first one in there in the changing room, speaking to the boys and rallying them, which you want to see.”