Peter Hutton recalls his senior debut in Irish Cup semi-final as he prepares to lead Institute into fifth round tie

It was a rude awakening for the talented 17 year-old sweeper who was part of David Platt's youthful Bannsiders outfit which also featured former Northern Ireland captain Steve Lomas who was a 16 year-old schoolboy and on his way to Manchester City at the time. Lomas broke his ankle in the fixture but his cross-Channel move was fortuitously already secured.

While that first Irish Cup experience was a notable one for Hutton - who boasts three FAI Cup winners' medals with Derry City - it was also one he was keen to consign to the history books given the result.

Ronnie McFall's Portadown, which featured the late Kevin 'Crack' McKeever and Roy McCreadie, went on to win their first ever Irish League Premiership title that season and the Reds dominated that semi-final encounter, winning 4-0 with goals from prolific Scottish strikers Stevie Cowan (hat-trick) and Sandy Fraser. Incidentally, they lost 3-0 to Glentoran in the final!

Of course Hutton went on to play in the competition on two more occasions during short spells with Portadown and later Cliftonville but without success.

On Saturday afternoon, weather permitting, the Derry City legend will manage a young Institute team in the Irish Cup competition for the first time against fellow NIFL Championship side Ballinamallard at Ferney Park in the fifth round. 'Stute made life difficult for League Cup semi-finalists Glentoran earlier this season and Hutton is hoping for a similar battling display and a prolonged Irish Cup run as they look to make the last 16.

"I remember making my senior debut for Coleraine as a 17 year-old in the Bass Irish Cup semi-final against a very good Portadown side," recalled the 'Stute boss. "I made my debut as a sweeper that day but we got beat by four," he laughed.

"Myself and Stevie Lomas played and he actually broke his ankle that day. He was a year younger than me too. They were a good side and we got a hiding."

Having held Ballinamallard in their two previous meetings this season in the league, Hutton isn't expecting either side to run away with the tie. However, he agrees it’s a winnable clash and Hutton's troops travel 'without fear'.

"Everyone wants to do well in the cup and a good cup run can help too in terms of your continuity in the league as such. So we will try and get as far as we can.

"It's a difficult game away to Ballinamallard who are traditionally a decent side at home. We've played them twice now and drawn twice so there's very little in it in that sense. They have some very good players and they're in a similar position to ourselves in trying to bring through some young boys as well as having experience in the team.

"They came back and scored a very late equaliser against us the last time we played them up there in a 2-2 draw," he recalled.

"We thought we might've won it at the death ourselves but it just wasn't to be. It just shows you how competitive the league is. The game we played at the Brandywell was 0-0.

"You know the opposition and you don't fear the opposition, so we look forward to it. It's a cup game, anything can happen on the day. We'll go out and give it a go."

'Stute will certainly take confidence from their last outing, a courageous 3-3 comeback draw against Newington at Brandywell, as they aim to progress in the IFA’s blue ribbon competition.

"When you've got five minutes to go and you're two goals behind, it almost feels like a win and I'm sure it felt like a defeat to them because we've been in a similar situation ourselves this season a couple of times when we've conceded late goals. So I know how it feels but when the shoe's on the other foot, it almost felt like a win.

"Having said that, I think we definitely deserved to get something from the game. A 3-1 defeat would've been very hard on us because we're not playing too badly. We're a bit patchy and inconsistent."

That gutsy come-from-behind draw ended a three game losing run and was a timely result ahead of Saturday's cup clash. Hutton hasn't been discouraged by recent performances given those defeats came against three of the league's top four sides.

"It's tough over Christmas as well with the training days and you're out of your whole routine because it's different days you're training and with Christmas it can be a bit unsettling. It's a difficult period for a lot of teams but hopefully now we're back in a bit of routine.”

That routine was further disrupted last weekend when their trip to Annagh United was called off due to the inclement weather. It means another midweek fixture headache is on the horizon for Hutton’s part-timers.

"It was and it wasn't,” said Hutton of the postponed Annagh game when asked if it was a welcome reprieve for his side.

"On the back of a decent result against Newington you were probably looking forward to the Annagh game and I'm sure they were looking forward to it on the back of beating Limavady.

“So it's swings and roundabouts in that sense, you just don't know. It means unfortunately we might have to go there now midweek. It hasn't been rearranged but we also have an outstanding game at home to Loughgall that we have to try and fit in.”

Hutton has a number of injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s match with the influential Caoimhin Porter doubtful due to a hamstring strain.

”Injury-wise we have one or two we're not sure about. Caoimhin Porter was out with a hamstring injury but it's his other one this time. He will be touch and go,” added the ‘Stute boss.