Chris Curran admitted lifting the League Cup as captain of Cliftonville was a ‘special’ feeling.

The former Ballinamallard winger has spent almost a decade at the North Belfast club, winning the league title in his first year, but since that title triumph the Reds have gone through a barren spell and had not claimed a major honour since their League Cup triumph in 2016.

That drought was finally ended on Sunday when Curran came on as a substitute and provided an assist on the way to reclaiming the trophy with a thrilling extra time victory over Coleraine.

“It is a special feeling, because it has been a tough few years since we won one of the major trophies,” said Chris.

“There has been a lot of disappointing days between then and now, and it was a massive relief to get that weight off our shoulders.

"There has been a lot of expectation over the last few years, and it was special to be able to celebrate it with all the supporters who have been very loyal and who have had to share those disappointing days with us.

"I have been there for about nine years and I know how much it means to all of the supporters and all of the staff and the players.”

Curran is as popular at Cliftonville as he was at Ferney Park, and few could deny he was deserving of the honour of lifting the cup, but the 31 year old shrugged off any personal glory.

“The management team that have come in in recent years have put a huge amount of work into it, and it was more about that than who lifted the cup,” he said.

“Levi Ives has been captain for the last few months while I haven’t been in the side, and Joe Gormley is another leader.

"Any of the lads could have lifted it and it just happened to be me on the day, but it was a special feeling.”

Curran has spent much of the current season on the bench, having filled the role of a substitute in 13 of his 30 appearances, but he is keen to play more than a bit part role for the remainder of the campaign.

“It hasn’t been something I have been used to,” he acknowledged. “I have been used to being a starting player since I joined the club, and I still feel like I am.

"In January I had an injury going into a game, and the boys have been so good that it has been really difficult to get back in.

"I am hoping my days of starting haven’t finished, but on Sunday I was ready to come on and make an impact and do whatever I could do help the lads get across the line. I feel like I still want to start games and play as big a role as I possibly can, but whatever the manager decides to do, we respect that.”

Having already secured their first silverware of the season, Curran is now hoping his side can spring a surprise in the league and sneak ahead of title favourites Linfield and Glentoran.

The reds are four points adrift of leaders Linfield with a game in hand, but Curran still feels they remain the outsiders in the three way battle for the league.

“It has been very pleasing that we have managed to stay up there for as long as we have,” he admitted.

“It’s unfortunately not something we have been involved in at this stage of the season for a number of years so it’s exciting for our supporters that they are involved in that, but there is a long way to go, obviously.

"I think it is still the big twos to lose, but we will try to do everything we can to stay in the mix for as long as we can.

"We are happy for them to take the limelight. There has been a huge amount of expectation around those clubs winning it this year, and rightly so with the resources they have poured into it, but we will just try to stay there for as long as we can and put it up to them as best we can.”

Curran was an influential figure during his three years at Ferney Park. Having played his youth football at the club, he tried his luck at Manchester United before returning under the management of Whitey Anderson where he inspired the Mallards to a fifth placed finish in their first season in the top flight.

Those ties remain strong for Curran, and he still keeps a close eye on the progress of his former club.

“I would always follow the results to find out who is playing and how they are getting on,” he revealed.

“I have been tracking them quite closely this season, and Mark Stafford has gone there now, and I would be quite close to Mark.

"I still keep a keen interest in how they are getting on.

"They have a lot of work to do this season but hopefully they can get promotion, because it would be brilliant for the club to get back up,” said Curran.