“I think the weather had a huge influence on the game. I know Rangers style, and how they want to play, but we also play good football and today neither of the two teams could really show their ability on the ball and show their style of play.

“But what we showed was a real resilience.

“And we have been doing that all season.

“We have been working on ways to build a mentality so when a game goes against us, or there are difficult conditions like today, we can deal with it. They dealt with it brilliantly today.

“We started very strongly and got ourselves ahead. The goal just before half time does change the dynamics of the game, but at the same time, we were playing against good players. Rangers have good players; they have some of the best players in the country. So, we had to find a way and football is not always about playing brilliant football – it is about winning football matches.

“And we have done that from the start with them, we have built a mentality in them and the boys deserve a lot of credit today. I thought they were outstanding.

“We did well defensively in the second half, we work on these things all the time. It is credit to them but the biggest thing for me, it means nothing unless you win the cup now. That is what I said to the players in the dressing room after the game. I said well done, that was good, but the real test comes in the cup final.

“That is why we never over celebrated, I liked that about the players.

“They accepted that they were playing against a good team and they beat them so they should be pleased but they all kept their feet on the ground as they know there is more to come because winning a semi-final means nothing.

“Winning the final and being a winner means something. We will see if they have the mentality to go and win a cup.

“It gives everyone something to look forward to, but we will just go about our business quietly.

“They work unbelievably hard; the players work so hard and they have taken on board all the instructions. Now they have to go and win the cup.

“This is a talented group of players. A lot of the youth academy coaches down the years have put a lot of work into them. Everyone at the club has put work into them, right through from the U10 coaches to all the full-time coaching staff at Cormack Park.

“For me now it is about drilling into them the basics of football. You saw today in those conditions; you need the basic tools to win a game. And they showed that.

“I said I was proud of them, but I maybe said that too soon! I would be even prouder if they won the cup. And it is for them. It is for them to look back on being a winner. That is what it is all about and that feeling of being a winner.”