'We have to look after ourselves first and foremost' - McAree

Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says his club has to consider their own interests first as they prepare to face Larne in Saturday's Irish Premiership game which could decide the destination of the league title.

Larne need one point from the encounter at Inver Park on the final day of the regular season to be sure of a third league title in four years, while the Swifts are building up to the following week's Irish Cup final against Coleraine.

Second-placed Coleraine and Glentoran, who sit third, also harbour hopes of lifting the Gibson Cup as they trail the leaders by three points, the Bannsiders boasting the superior goal difference of the two by three.

Dungannon, who will finish in sixth position in the standings, have lost eight of their last nine league games.

"We have to prepare as best we can for an Irish Cup final and if that means certain people who are the wrong side of 30 and have had a lot of game time, and have little niggles here and there, we have to wrap them up and look after ourselves first and foremost," McAree told BBC Sport NI.

"Obviously there will be ones we'll not want to take chances with but we have to prepare properly for Larne and ultimately that will be good preparation for the Irish Cup final.

"We have to focus on the Larne match and we have to make sure that everybody is as well prepared as possible for the final."

The Dungannon boss added that while they will have one eye very much on the showpiece decider at Windsor Park on 2 May, his side will give of their all in the upcoming league encounter against the top flight pacesetters.

"Nobody will be allowed to take their foot off the gas. Nobody will be allowed to go to Inver Park and think that it's a formality, or we are there just to make up the numbers.

"We don't have a big enough squad to rotate and rest everybody. We'll have a look at the start of the week, how everyone is feeling, how the niggles are."