McCready eager to sign a new deal

The teenager has broken into John Gregg's first-team squad and has been in fantastic form; in fact he capped his super run with his first goal for the club, during Saturday's JJB Sports Irish Cup defeat at Glenavon.

"It was a shocking result for us, personally I was glad to have scored, but losing so late on was disappointing," he said.

"I knew whenever I hit it that no keeper was going to save it, unfortunately we lost the game, but I was delighted with my goal."

The 19-year-old is certainly confident in his own ability and believes that whenever Kevin Ramsey returns to full fitness then the ex-Finn Harps striker will have to be at his best if he hopes to regain his place up front.

"All I keep hearing is Kevin Ramsey is coming back, but it just means I'll have to work harder to ensure that I can keep my place. He's dead-on and with him coming back it means it's competition for places - then it can only be good for the team.

"But to be honest I want to play up front alongside Kevin; I love playing football and playing for Greggie, so hopefully I can keep my place and score a few more goals."

This weekend the Drumahoe club host title contenders Crusaders but the Galliagh youngster isn't too worried about facing Northern Ireland international Colin Coates and Co.

"We have beaten them a few times this season, so hopefully we can get another positive result this weekend, with me scoring again, maybe this time it will be the winner," he joked.

"All jokes aside I just hope to score again but more importantly we win."

Only last season the talented front man was playing for Westbank in the Saturday Morning League and Porters in the Sunday Morning League, before he made the move to the Riverside Stadium, a move which he's still over the moon about.

The striker is hoping his good run will lead to a better contract with the Drumahoe men, something which McCready believes Gregg hasn't already promised him.

"Greggie keeps telling me to continue to work hard and in the next few weeks sit down and get a contract sorted out," admitted McCready.

"I'm really enjoying it at Institute and I would love to get a contract, so hopefully something can be sorted out sooner rather than later."