Soccer

Kyle McClean: Irish Cup win would trump Player of the Season award

Blues ace targeting win over Cliftonville in Windsor Park showdown

PACEMAKER PRESS BELFAST 22-04-24 Sports Direct Premiership Linfield v Larne Kyle McClean of Linfield tackles Chris Gallagher of Larne during this Evening’s game at NFS @ Windsor Park Belfast. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press
Kyle McClean is looking forward to the Irish Cup final (Andrew McCarroll/Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Pres)
By Stephen Looney

Collective glory beats personal accolades every time, says Linfield midfielder Kyle McClean, who was named the Player of the Year at the Northern Ireland Football Awards a fortnight ago.

But he would gladly swap the prestigious award for an Irish Cup winner’s medal in tomorrow’s showpiece final against Cliftonville at Windsor Park (2.30pm).

It has been a season of highs and lows for both McClean and his club so far, winning the League Cup but just missing out on the league title after a thrilling battle with Larne.

The former St Johnstone player has been Linfield’s best player, benefiting from a more advanced role to score 14 goals over the campaign to date.

In becoming the Player of the Year, the Carnmoney man is following in the footsteps of such luminaries as Leroy Millar, Chris Shields, Shayne Lavery, Joel Cooper, Jimmy Callacher, Gavin Whyte and Jamie Mulgrew.

But beating Cliftonville to win the cup tomorrow beats any individual award hands down, says McClean.

“To win the award is brilliant and something I’ll always be proud of”, said the midfield dynamo.

“Awards are always great and I’m immensely proud to win it - not many people do so I’m proud of it.

“But the main thing is to be successful here and I’d certainly swap it to win any trophy with the team and the carrot is to win the Irish Cup first and foremost.

“Both teams have already qualified for Europe and there is the potential to go through another round and benefit from the money with it.

Pacemaker Press. 24-04 2024: Press conference ahead of this season’s Clearer Water Irish Cup Final between Cliftonville and Linfield at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast. Linfield’s Jamie Mulgrew and Kyle McClean pictured with Cliftonville’s Rory Hale and Sean Stewart. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
Linfield's Jamie Mulgrew and Kyle McClean pictured with Cliftonville's Rory Hale and Sean Stewart at the press conference ahead of Saturday's Clearer Water Irish Cup Final between Cliftonville and Linfield at Windsor Park in Belfast Picture: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

“But the prize for me is to be successful in the cup.

“The main thing is to win trophies here at Linfield and be successful as a team and club.

“But we are under no illusions about the challenge tomorrow, Cliftonville have had a great season, they have a lot of good players and Jim (Magilton) has done a great job since he arrived.

“Every time we’ve played them this season they’ve been tough games, each and every one of them.

McClean and fellow Player of the Year winner Mulgrew will likely line out together to face Cliftonville tomorrow, a formidable enough duo on their own without factoring the versatile Shields into the mix.

McClean is seen by many as the natural successor to the evergreen Mulgrew, who is 37, and he was quick to pay tribute to his senior comrades for helping him enjoy an excellent season.

“This year has been a wee bit different whereby I’ve maybe got forward a bit more and Jamie and Shieldsy have given me the licence to do that.

“They’ve been doing a bit more of the dirty work and I always try to take a bit of their game and try to put it into mine.

“I’ve managed to get on a good run from the start of this year.

“I’ve loved having a different role trying to get forward and impact games more.

“It’s been great from that perspective this season but it’s important that as a team we finish on a high.”