Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton acknowledges the result is the only thing that matters in today's BetMcLean Cup final against Glentoran, with the means of achieving the desired outcome much less significant.

The 52-times capped Northern Ireland international aims to guide his side to a second trophy success of his tenure after the Reds beat Linfield to lift the Irish Cup at Windsor Park 10 months ago.

"Sometimes it's not about how you win it, it's just about winning it," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"Declan [Devine, Glentoran manager] will be desperate to bring more silverware to the Oval and I'm desperate to bring more silverware to Solitude and to our fans who have been magnificent this season.

"The final comes and goes so quickly in the blink of an eye and it's about focus, a real focus of attention on our opponents, who are going to provide really tough opposition, and of course on ourselves, how we are going to win."

Image source, Inpho

Glentoran boss Declan Devine believes the BetMcLean Cup decider will see both sides exhibit an attacking philosophy.

"I expect them [Cliftonville] to bring a lot of quality and a really high level of goal threat. I think it will be an entertaining game – I don't think either team sets up defensively, both teams will have a right go.

"The club has been starved of success for a long time. The last time they won a cup final at Windsor Park here was during Covid and there were very limited supporters here.

"The County Antrim Shield final was at Seaview, and with the greatest of respect to Seaview, you can only get so many fans in there. We want the supporters to get behind us as they have done all season and it would be a fantastic achievement for us to send them home happy."

Image source, Press Eye

This year's BetMcLean Cup final has delivered a blockbuster showdown between Cliftonville and Glentoran, with the Belfast clubs set to lock horns in front of an almost capacity crowd at Windsor Park on Sunday.

The decider has become an annual highlight of the domestic football calendar in Northern Ireland and is again set to be a colourful occasion, with hopefully an exciting game to live up to its pre-match billing.

Glentoran have already lifted the County Antrim Shield in January, thereby securing a first trophy success since the club won the 2020 Irish Cup and a first under the stewardship of manager Declan Devine.

Jim Magilton collected his first silverware as Cliftonville boss when the Solitude team ended their 45-year wait for an Irish Cup win in May last year.

BBC Sport NI looks ahead to a final that promises much and assesses who might pick up the silverware come the final whistle in this weekend's showpiece.

Read BBC Sport NI's preview of the big game here.

Image source, PACEMAKER

Destiny Ojo was the matchwinner for Cliftonville as his 117th-minute goal proved decisive in a 1-0 victory over Larne in the BetMcLean Cup semi-final in January.

Neither side could break the deadlock in normal time, with Larne being reduced to 10 men in the second half when defender Shaun Want was sent-off for a rash lunge on Rory Hale.

Ojo netted from a Hale cross to the back post to cue bedlam in the away end and tee up a spot in today's decider.

Read more here

Kodi Lyons-Foster netted in the 115th minute and Jay Donnelly was on target five minutes later to help Glentoran to a 4-2 extra-time win over Crusaders in the semi-finals.

A double from Jordan Jenkins, the first a penalty, had the Oval hosts 2-0 to the good at half-time.

However, Stewart Nixon and Kieran Offord scored in the second half to draw the Crues level, before Declan Devine's side prevailed after the additional half hour.

Read more here

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Alex Parsons has been a real livewire for Cliftonville since he joined the club in January.

The Australian winger scored a great goal against Crusaders in the Irish Cup semi-final last weekend after opening his account for the Reds against Carrick Rangers in the league. He will be one to watch.

Equally exciting on the Glentoran line-up is Finley Thorndike, who in his limited appearances so far this season has shown glimpses of his quality.

He also netted a fine solo effort against Linfield in the Irish Cup earlier in the season.

Declan Devine makes two changes to the Glens side who defeated Ballymena United midweek with Kodi Lyons-Foster and Jordan Jenkins starting and Frankie Hvid and Nathaniel Ferris dropping to the bench.

Meanwhile, Jim Magilton sticks with the same starting XI from their Irish Cup victory over Crusaders.

Lewis Ridd starts between the posts with top goalscorer Joe Gormley among the substitutes.

Glentoran: Gyollai, Lyons-Foster, Sule, Connolly, Palmer, McEleney, Fisher, Amos, Wightman, Jenkins, Thorndike.

Subs: Mills, Hvid, Coll, Lindsay, Pattison, Russell, Ferris.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis, Kearney, Hale, Curran, Conlan, Gordon, Casey, Keaney, Wilson, Parsons.

Subs: Odumosu, Pepper, Ojo, Piesold, Gormley, Glynn, Corrigan.

Image source, BBC Sport

It's a big day in the local football calendar as Glentoran and Cliftonville battle it out in the BetMcLean Cup final.

A sun-soaked Windor Park awaits what promises to be a cracker of a game between two teams who know what it takes to win silverware.

Cliftonville won this competition three years ago and bagged a first Irish Cup triumph in 45 years last May.

Glentoran have to go back just two months to when they celebrated capturing the Co Antrim Shield after beating Larne in the decider.

Declan Devine's team are also sitting second in the Premiership and six places above this afternoon's opponents, although they were defeated by the Reds in league just a fortnight ago.

We'll bring you live text commentary from the game and take you through the action as it unfolds.

Thanks for joining us.

Image source, PACEMAKER