David Healy's medal motivation as Linfield bid to 'do better' after Irish Cup heartache

David Healy says he will use his Irish Cup runners-up medal for motivation just as he did eight years ago.

Healy had only been in situ at Windsor Park six months when he led the Blues to the traditional end-of-season final. They came up short on the day losing 2-0 to Glenavon but used his medal as a motivating tool going from “losers on the day” to bringing silverware to the club.

He is planning to do the same thing again following the Blues' defeat to Cliftonville on Saturday as he looks to "do better" next season. "As disappointed as I am here now, my instinct straight away is on to the next one,” Healy said.

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"For me and I reminded the players when I lost against Glenavon in my first final, the runners-up medal we got, I basically left it in the car where I could see it on a daily basis or every other day I was going to Windsor to remind me that I was second best and a loser on the day.

"I said to the players that people get motivated by different things, people get fired up by different ideas, but for me I'll do the same with this one, I'll keep it in my car beside me and it'll remind me that we finished second and we need to do better.

"That will be my motivation at the start of pre-season - to be better, make sure your squad is better, hopefully the playing staff is better and the outcome come the end of the season will be better."

Healy admitted there was "disappointment" in the aftermath of their defeat to the Reds and he pointed to his side's "immature mistakes" proving costly once again.

"When you lose a Cup final, first and foremost there is disappointment," he said. "I thought we were well in the game, started on the front foot but the longer the game went on, the stronger Cliftonville got and they took over parts of the game.

"It got to the stage where it swayed back and it was probably 50/50 and it looked as if whoever was going to get the next golden opportunity would win it. We've been done quite a few times this year with immature mistakes and we got done with immature mistakes for the second goal.

"That's why I said to the players in there - and things can be said in the heat of the moment - but you try and give the information to the players that's going to be important moving forward. I said that today summed up why we didn't win the league championship this year because we made mistakes at crucial moments and got punished.

"Credit to Jim (Magilton) and his players. It's been 45 years in waiting. I have the utmost respect for Jim; the player, the person and now the manager. In the end, we got done with a couple of mistakes and I think that's the most disappointing thing in the changing room."

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