Soccer

Shields relishes the pressure to perform at Linfield as Blues eye silverware

Linfield's Chris Shields knows there will be little between the teams in Sunday's BetMcLean League Cup final after the Blues drew 0-0 with Coleraine in two of their three league meetings to date
Linfield's Chris Shields knows there will be little between the teams in Sunday's BetMcLean League Cup final after the Blues drew 0-0 with Coleraine in two of their three league meetings to date Linfield's Chris Shields knows there will be little between the teams in Sunday's BetMcLean League Cup final after the Blues drew 0-0 with Coleraine in two of their three league meetings to date

Bet McLean League Cup final

Linfield will be hoping to win the Bet McLean League Cup for the first time since 2019, when they take on Coleraine at Windsor Park this Sunday.

It will be the second important game for David Healy’s side in the space of six days, after they drew 0-0 away to Premiership leaders Larne on Tuesday night, and experienced central midfielder Chris Shields says that the team are glad to be involved in huge contests as the season nears its conclusion.

“For us players who weren’t playing in the final last year, we were sitting at home thinking, ‘I’d love to be part of that,’” he said.

“So, to be part of it this year is something to look forward to, especially as it’s a chance to win a trophy before the business end of the season.

“You have to relish every game at this stage of the season, and a club like Linfield are expected to be competing on all fronts, and that’s no different this year.”

Linfield may have the best record of any club in the competition with 10 titles, but for a club of their size, they have been on relatively poor run in the competition, with their last win, aside from the aforementioned title in 2019, coming in 2008.

“That was one of the gaffer’s first lines before our opening League Cup game, down in Moyola Park,” said Shields, regarding improving their fortunes in the competition.

“There are a lot of boys here who probably haven’t won this competition, and it’s a good trophy to win. I won a few down south, and I always enjoyed winning these types of competitions, because they’re handed out before the league and the cup. You want to be counting your medals at the end of your career, and this would be a major one.”

As for Linfield’s opposition on Sunday, Coleraine have been involved in the last League Cup two finals, winning the trophy in 2020 against Crusaders, before coming up just short last year against Cliftonville.

The two teams have been involved in three close contests already this season, with two scoreless draws contested, before Linfield won their most recent meeting 2-0.

However, Shields believes that those games count for nothing now, and that the final will come down to small margins.

“There was nothing between the two sides in the two 0-0 draws at the start of the year,” he said.

“Then it was important for us to get the win (the last time the two sides met). But the old cliché is that form goes out the window in cup finals, and being in football for as long as I have, that is the case, because it’s a one-off game.

“They have a lot of experienced players, and I feel as though this is probably the best squad that Oran [Kearney] has had over the years. They’re a very good cup team, and they will have players who are relishing the opportunity too.”