MONTH COULD DEFINE SEASON

Mccready ready for date with destiny

ARGUABLY the biggest month in the club’s history is upon them – and Queen’s University are buzzing to meet it head on.

Not only do the students continue their defence of the Match Intermediate Cup this weekend, they must then quickly turn around for a Monday night Irish Cup visit to Warrenpoint Town.

The weather conspired to deprive us of that one on Saturday meaning the sides must have another go, this time under the lights at Milltown.

They go into it knowing the winners have a quarter-final against, not Crusaders or Coleraine, but Larne Tech OB to look forward to.

And, if all that wasn’t enough, Queen’s also have massive league games against two of their promotion rivals – Banbridge Town and Annagh United – before the shortest month is over.

It’s fair to say this is as testing a run of fixtures as the club will have faced in some time.

And if they’re to reflect on February as anything approaching a success come the end of it, they’ll be looking to top marksman Ryan Mccready to lead the way.

He told Match On Tuesday: “This is going to be a really big month for us as a club.

“At the end of it we will know where we’re at.

“While we’re fighting on all fronts we want to keep that going.

“But the way we work is by putting our focus on the next game and that means Lurgan Celtic in the Intermediate Cup on Saturday.

“That is going to be a tough game. As holders we obviously are desperate to retain it which means we have to get up for it that bit more.

“We beat Celtic at the start of the season but they seem to have improved from then and have signed a few good players recently so we’re expecting a difficult game.

“We were a bit disappointed that Saturday’s game against Warrenpoint was called off because we were all really looking forward to the game.

“Now with it being played on a Monday night it means we can’t focus on it until after Saturday.

“But the fact it’s now under the lights at a Premier League club should to the occasion. All of the pressure will be on Warrenpoint so we can enjoy it but we’re not going there to make up the numbers.

“We’re playing with freedom and are unbeaten since the middle of September so we’re in good form.

“I have 17 goals this season and it’s always pleasing to be scoring but there’s goals coming from all over the pitch.

“We’ve also the likes of Ronan Young (right) who weighs in with important goals from frees for us.

“There are so many talented boys in our squad with bags of creativity and we’re enjoying our football again this season.

“But if we’ve a trophy in our hands come May that’s all that matters.”

That Qub-celtic game is one of two ties matching up Premier Intermediate League sides.

The other comes at

Crystal Park wherebanbridge Town will get a firm examiadd