Ciaran McGurgan urges Annagh United players to 'enjoy' second leg as they are potentially 90 minutes away from top flight promotion

The Championship side know they will be in the Sports Direct Premiership next season if they can avoid defeat in tomorrow night's second leg at Stangmore Park.

Annagh go into the clash with a slender 2-1 lead as a Michael Ruddy own goal and Craig Taylor's unstoppable strike saw the County Armagh side come from behind to lead at the half way stage.

Despite only being 90 minutes away from a first ever crack at Premiership football, McGurgan believes the pressure will firmly be on Dungannon Swifts as they aim to retain their top flight status.

"It was a free opportunity and there's a lot of players who see that opportunity of going to the Premiership," he said.

"If you can't get motivated by being ambitious of going to the Premiership, you shouldn't be in the changing room.

"Fair play to every single player as they gave it their all and they thoroughly deserved their win.

"The team talk won't change.

"It will be about asking the players to give us as much as they can for as long as they can and then we will use what we can off the bench.

"You could see we had four kids at 16 years of age on the bench and whilst we didn't have to use them, we will have a few sore boys in the morning.

"As I've said before, I would love to get promoted for a couple of men at this football club.

"I think we will just go to Stangmore Park on Thursday and enjoy it.

"It'll be a tough ask because of the budgets and everything else in the Premiership but if the opportunity is there, we will go and enjoy it.

"It's probably changed slightly now because we were coming into this with no pressure and now we're probably thinking we can do this.

"Thursday night will be slightly different in terms of pressure but it'll be more on them as they are the Premiership team."

McGurgan heaped praise on his players for their energy levels and for their response after conceding with just three minutes on the clock as Mayowa Animasahun headed in from a free-kick.

"It was an unbelievable effort from the boys,” he added.

"Especially when you factor in fitness and the lack of squad depth, it was always going to be the killer.

"The players emptied the tank for us and we got the rewards for it.

"After the early goal I was thinking 'here we go'.

"The guy came in unmarked and got his goal but the quick response helped.

"We were under a bit of pressure at the end, but listen, it's a super effort but we're only half way there.

"Craig Taylor was absolutely superb and he has that in the locker.

"I told him at half-time that he needed to get more shots away and it worked.

"He put it right in the top corner and fair play to him as it was a great goal.

"Our 'keeper Joel Little made a superb save at the end, I thought it was wide but he must have got a fingertip to it.”