‘Let’s get title challenge back on track’

Gary Haveron was thrilled to beat Dundela and get through in the Irish Cup and he’s delighted to be involved in an east Antrim derby clash at Dixon Park in the last 16. But one’s in the past and the other’s in the future, and his concentration right now is on the present and a crucial ‘home’ league tie against Lisburn Distillery.

Carrick's manager Gary Haveron. Photo: Presseye

“The total focus is on the three vital points which are available when The Whites comes to Inver Park on Saturday.

“We need to get our challenge for the league title back on track with a win in this match, our determination driven by what happened against them the last day,” stressed the Carrick Rangers manager.

Haveron’s team appeared to have the victory secured at Ballyskeagh before Christmas, but there was a horrible sting in the tail when Tommy Kincaid’s team bagged an equaliser three minutes into added time.

“That goal was a sickener alright, coming in the closing 30 seconds, but what happened in that match will be a tremendous incentive for us to get the win this weekend, even though the desire for promotion should be enough on its own anyway,” assured Haveron, who admits it was a relief to get back to winning ways.

“Look, I’m not going to lie. I’m a young manager, a rookie, and there’s no doubt that you do sometimes question yourself when things are not going as you would like. That’s only natural. It was definitely a relief to be winners again after a little spell when things weren’t going right for us.

“But I definitely think this can be a launching pad for us and we can go on to much bigger and better things. Our confidence will be boosted and we will knuckle down to the business ahead and I think we can achieve something special.”