Friends Healy and Magilton turn to foes for Irish Cup final

In nan reddish corner, Cliftonville leader Jim Magilton retired to extremity nan club's 45-year hold for Irish Cup occurrence successful his first play successful complaint of nan northbound Belfast side.

Standing successful his measurement successful nan bluish corner, is erstwhile Northern Ireland team-mate David Healy, who is looking to triumph a 3rd Irish Cup arsenic Linfield boss.

Friends move to foes successful nan conflict for glory connected Saturday, 1 of a number of intriguing storylines of a last that has been 90 years successful nan making.

Healy and Magilton spell measurement back.

As good arsenic playing together connected nan world shape they worked together arsenic portion of nan Irish FA's Club NI programme.

And Magilton believes that nan 2 facing disconnected connected nan touchline will "add spice" to what is already group to beryllium a momentous juncture for some managers.

Whilst Magilton has had a agelong managerial career, which has included stints astatine Ipswich Town, QPR and Melbourne Victory, Healy is nan much knowledgeable of nan 2 managers successful nan Irish League.

He has been astatine nan helm astatine Linfield since 2015, winning 5 Gibson Cups, 2 Irish Cups, 2 League Cups and a County Antrim Shield.

When asked if he could person ever envisaged coming up against Magilton successful nan Irish League, Healy admitted "probably not" but said of his immense admiration for nan Cliftonville boss.

"Jim has done a terrific occupation since he’s been in. I person monolithic respect for Jim, nan head and nan coach, explained Healy.

"My narration pinch Jim goes measurement backmost to players astir nan world set-up and I still spot him rather a batch astir world games."

He besides gave an penetration into really nan narration has played retired complete nan years.

"We’ve shared dressing rooms; we’ve shared debates we’ve shared fallouts astatine different times, and we haven’t ever agreed connected everything but that is portion of nan relationships that keeps america friends capable today."

So far, Healy has travel retired connected apical complete Magilton's broadside successful nan convention meetings betwixt nan 2 this season.

The Blues ended Cliftonville's agleam commencement to life nether Magilton pinch a 2-1 triumph astatine Windsor Park successful August.

They past brought to an extremity different awesome tally of shape from nan Reds pinch a 1-0 triumph astatine Solitude successful October, earlier producing a objective show to look 3-0 winners astatine nan aforesaid venue successful February.

The dress rehearsal for Saturday's decider took spot past play and ended successful a 1-1 tie astatine Windsor Park, though some sides were not astatine full-strength pinch 1 oculus connected nan immense final.

Magilton, who alongside Healy was nominated for nan Irish Premiership Manager of nan Year award, heaped praise connected his erstwhile team-mate for his trophy-laden spell arsenic Blues boss.

"He is personification I person immense respect for. I deliberation he’s done a magnificent occupation astatine Linfield, you’re nether immense unit erstwhile you return that occupation and I deliberation he’s done immensely well."

The 54-year aged Magilton, who won 52 caps for Northern Ireland, is fresh to clasp his first Irish Cup last arsenic a manager.

He worked arsenic a pundit for BBC Sport NI astatine past year's decider and is eager to acquisition a crippled of specified magnitude, pinch a sell-out crowd expected for nan showpiece.

"It’s a awesome crippled to beryllium progressive successful a Cliftonville v Linfield final, it is simply a large juncture for nan fans, truthful it is simply a typical day."

There whitethorn beryllium a fewer much fallouts betwixt nan 2 managers earlier and aft full-time connected Saturday depending connected nan result, but their relationship will surely strengthen sloppy of who wins 1 of nan astir anticipated Irish Cup finals of each time.