Ballinamallard manager Tommy Canning has encouraged his players to go to Newry City and play with freedom in the round five of the Irish Cup.

The draw pitched the Mallards against the Premiership’s basement club, but Canning has welcomed the challenge of testing themselves against top flight opposition.

“In some ways it is a welcome relief from the relentless nature of the league and something a bit different,” admitted Canning.

“Ideally you would have wanted a home draw but we have to travel to Newry to play Premiership opposition and it is going to be difficult and it is going to be tough.

“We are going in as underdogs and in that sense the pressure very much is on Newry which leaves us with a bit of freedom to go and play, which sometimes can help.”

Newry City have endured a difficult league campaign this season, and sit at the foot of the Premiership table with only three wins from 24 matches.

Their poor form saw them part ways with manager Gary Boyle on Boxing Day, and Canning was at Stangmore Park on Saturday to watch them lose 5-0 to relegation rivals Dungannon Swifts.

Boyle has since been replaced by Barry Gray, ahead of Saturday’s game.

The manager is hoping Newry’s current predicament can present an opportunity for the Mallards to spring a surprise.

“They will probably have a few signed before we play them, which might change things, but there is a lot of pressure on them given what is going on, and maybe we can take advantage of that,” said Canning.

“You can look at Newry and think they have had a poor season and they are in a difficult position at the minute, but they are still a Premier League club and have been playing Premier League games week in and week out which means the intensity levels should be higher than what is in the Championship. It will be a tough, tough game but it is a great opportunity for players to test themselves against a Premier League club and see exactly where we are at.”

The postponement of Saturday’s league game against Knockbreda means that Jamie Dunne’s one game suspension for amassing five bookings is carried forward and he will miss the cup tie, which is a blow according to the manager.

“Jamie Dunne is a big loss for us but we have other players coming back which helps us. It is looking like the end of January before Ryan Morris gets back, but we will have a few new players registered ourselves. Aaron Harkin should be back, and Callum Moorehead should be closer to being back, so we are maybe a wee bit healthier than what we were.”

Last season Ballinamallard bowed out of the cup in January when they conceded twice in injury time to lose to Glenavon, but Canning is hoping they can claim a Premiership scalp this time around and give his squad a confidence boost.

“Newry away is a difficult start but if we can be really good on the day, and Newry are maybe a wee worried about their situation and where they are at, and we can get into their minds early on, then who is to say that we can’t put ourselves into the draw for the next round.

“That will be the aim. It would be lovely to get a cup run.”