‘Get behind our boys’: Manager David Healy issues rallying cry to Linfield fans

Linfield 2 Ballymena United 0

Linfield's Darragh McBrien is tracked by Ballymena's Sean Brown

Linfield boss David Healy issued a clarion call for supporters to get behind his team after this Irish Cup win over Ballymena United at Windsor Park.

Chris McKee opened for the Blues with a cool finish on 14 minutes then substitute Chris Shields doubled the lead from the penalty spot after McKee was bundled over in the box by Stevie McCullough.

Sky Blues manager Jim Ervin was angry about decisions he felt went against his team on the day, but it is Linfield who will play Institute at the Brandywell Stadium in the next round.

Linfield were coming off the back of defeat to Dungannon Swifts last week and laboured to find top gear against a gritty Ballymena side, who worked hard but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.

Ervin was a distinguished player at Linfield, winning four Irish Cups, and Healy said his counterpart knows all about the Linfield support as he urged fans to get behind the players more.

“Nobody knows better than Jim after the amount of time he spent here; get the crowd quiet for as long as possible, get them on their backs because it doesn't take long for some of our idiots behind us to put intense pressure on when there doesn't need to be,” rapped Healy.

“It's part and parcel of it but it's frustrating at times, it's annoying because sometimes it hinders the level of performance because the level of expectation can be unrealistic at times.

“I thought there were some moments of really good play that we probably didn't capitalise on enough times in the final third.

“The hindrance at times can be negative.

“It was never going to be easy. Ballymena have been in the last two Cup Finals and they were coming for a