LOUGHGALL United manager Dean Smith insists he won’t be ‘parking the bus’ as this season’s Irish Cup giant killers prepare to face the “frightening” firepower of Cliftonville in the semi-finals.
The Lakeview Park men have already taken the Premiership scalps of Glenavon and Ards in reaching the last four and last reached the Irish Cup semi-finals in 1997, going down to the Reds 3-1.
Despite the daunting challenge, Smith doesn’t see any merit in making radical changes to the side’s tactics ahead of their showdown at the Oval on March 31.
“Normally we try and play 4-4-2,” Smith explained.
“Players are coached right through youth level with 4-4-2. Most schools' football is 4-4-2 and to play any other system you need a lot more time than three or four hours [per week]…
“It’s okay for teams that have more time to play 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2, but we don’t have that luxury. We have to cram everything into three or four hours.
“It’s difficult to ask a player to play as a wing-back when he hasn’t done it before. Unless he’s technically gifted it’s not going to work.”
The former Glenavon ace added: “We went into the Glenavon [quarter-final] game and tried to play our natural game as much as possible. If we’re going to coach the players like that on a Tuesday or Thursday night why would you ask them to do something different on a Saturday? It doesn’t work. It’s about trying to do things our way.”
Joe Gormley’s late strike against Linfield on Tuesday night saw Cliftonville clinch their semi-final berth while Coleraine and Championship outfit Larne joined them with victories over Glentoran and Ballymena United, respectively.
Despite being on the receiving end of some criticism this season, Gormley has bagged 25 goals alongside strike partner Rory Donnelly.
Chris Curran has also been hugely influential in the Reds attack.
“The Cliftonville attack is frightening,” said Smith.
“They have the squad to match anybody in the league. They can blow teams away. They blew Crusaders away after 45 minutes last Saturday. Their firepower is phenomenal.
“I think Joe [Gormley] has come out and said that he knows he’s not playing great but he will get better. Any striker that scores 25 goals at this stage of the season is top quality. Most strikers would break your arm for that tally.”
Smith admitted he would preferred to have drawn Larne in the semi-finals on the basis that a Championship club would be competing in this season’s Irish Cup decider.
“Looking back, Larne probably would have been the draw we would have liked, not because we think we can beat them, it would have meant a Championship team in the final. We wanted to avoid Cliftonville and Coleraine,” he said.
Much-travelled striker Gary Liggett grabbed the winner against Glenavon in Loughgall’s memorable quarter-final tie at Mourneview while Dale Montgomery also got on the scoresheet.
“For us, it’s about putting on a performance [in the semi-finals] and showing people that we are a decent team and that we have some good players. That’s all I want from our team,” Smith added.
Loughgall have reserved their best form for the cup this season, losing 13 of their 26 league games that sees them sit in sixth place in the Championship.
“Our league form has been so frustrating. When we play well we’re right up there with the best teams. We’re very Jekyell and Hyde. The cup run has given the club and the players a real lift but our league is our bread and butter and there doesn’t appear to be any in between.
“Loughgall is a small village, we’re probably one of the smallest clubs around and to get to the semi-finals is a massive achievement.
“It’s very difficult for us because we have Portadown, Glenavon and Dungannon on our doorstep and now Newry is another club in the mid-Ulster region, and down the road you have Warrenpoint.
“You can guarantee if I’ve spoken to a player who is decent, all those other clubs have spoken to him as well. So we have to sell a different idea, that we are a well-run club and that we are progressive. It’s really tough.
“Our biggest component is our team spirit. Ninety-nine per cent of the players are local. They have some sort of affiliation with the club, they know what the club is about and off the pitch we’re all friends and they socialise together, which I think is important.
Since toppling Glenavon at the start of the month, Smith has had full attendances at training.
“Would you believe that? No injuries, nothing, and the granny’s dog has recovered from the flu,” he quipped.
Tennent’s Irish Cup semi-finals: Cliftonville v Loughgall (The Oval, March 31, 3pm); Coleraine v Larne (Ballymena Showgrounds, March 31, 3pm)
