Niall Currie: Portadown "gave their all" in Irish Cup defeat to Glentoran

A Jay Donnelly brace and Niall McGinn strike sent the Glens through to a quarter-final clash with Crusaders, but Ports boss Currie is more than encouraged heading into a season-defining period for the Shamrock Park club.

In four of their next five Danske Bank Premiership matches, Portadown take on Ballymena United, Glenavon, Dungannon Swifts and Newry City as they look to make strides towards climbing off the bottom of the table.

After witnessing a 6-0 defeat to Linfield last weekend, Currie has called on his squad to replicate the level of performance shown on Saturday for the rest of the season, and believes if they do, points are most certainly up for grabs.

"I'm nowhere near as down as I was last week,” Currie told We Are Ports TV.

"I thought they gave everything and we got an honest performance today.

"I told the players that if we can perform at that level and get that level of intensity into our game week in, week out, we've a run of games coming where we can pick points up.

"It has been a real tough run of games but we're coming into games where we're going to get a sniff at things. To me, if we keep the level of today, I think we can be really competitive."

Currie handed debuts to Alan O’Sullivan and on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Ondrej Mastny.

The 20-year-old and Jethren Barr will be competing for the nod between the sticks and Currie was pleased with Mastny’s first showing.

"He was very solid,” he added. “I'm a great believer in needing two number ones at a club and for me, Jethren is super and now we have two really good keepers and that's what is needed.

"You can see he's going to make a big impact here. He's a very cool customer for such a young man and he's also very, very big! He's a great kid too and we're very excited to have him.”

Currie has plenty of options in attack after their January dealings and is confident Portadown have the required firepower to make a difference.

"From my point of view, I thought there were a hell of a lot of positives today,” he said. “If we can keep them levels, we have a chance coming up.

"I'm happy with what I seen from Sully (O’Sullivan) and Cathar Friel and we've Paul (McElroy) to come back in. Greg Moorhouse did well when he came on and we have Benny (Igiehon) as well.

"I think we've addressed that end and I would like to think when we come to those games that we have a chance in that we'll have that cutting edge.

"I was pleased with the midfield today too. Josh Archer gives us something - you see how much we miss him when he doesn't play because he has great energy and quality.

"We'll keep working hard. I never like getting beat, but as I've said many times, it's about the manner of defeat and I thought they went out on their shield today.

"If you go out on your shield, you don't have regrets. They gave their all for the club and we have to build on that now.”