JIM MAGILTON can't help but break into a smile when he is asked about being in the pressure cooker of Northern Ireland's World Cup campaign.

The 27-year-old Ulsterman has become so battle-hardened from fighting what seems like an annual battle to help Southampton preserve their Premiership status that he admits it is a welcome relief to help the Irish cause for a place in France '98.

Magilton will win his 37th international cap when Bryan Hamilton's men step out for their make-or-break qualifying encounter with Ukraine in Kiev's 100,000 capacity Republik Anski Stadium.

And he said: "It's great to escape the day-to-day pressures of playing for Southampton, especially with the struggle we have got on our hands.

Sometimes when things aren't going well at club level you think about it so much that it starts driving you mad.

"Of course, this is a massive game for Northern Ireland as well, so it's not like getting away from it all completely. But it is a different kind of pressure and one that's a lot more enjoyable."

Belfast-born Magilton, who won his first cap six years ago during his time at Oxford, added: "The spirit with Northern Ireland is absolutely brilliant as well - and that is one of our biggest strengths.

"It looks like a difficult game and it will be because Ukraine showed what a good side they are when they beat us in Belfast and are up there challenging at the top of the group.

But coming here and playing them is the kind of challenge we love. There is a real determination in everyone to pull the same way together for the good of the team.

"That's why we have come on like we have in the last few years and why we are always capable of pulling off good results away from home."

Magilton could only look on from the substitutes' bench when Northern Ireland suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Ukrainians when they opened their Group 9 campaign at Windsor Park last August.

A subsequent home draw with Armenia further undermined their chances of qualifying from what manager Hamilton labelled "The group of death", but Magilton played his part as a draw in Germany and a win over Albania resurrected the dream.

But Saturday's goalless Windsor Park draw with Portugal was another tough blow to take, and Magilton admitted: There won't be much left for us in terms of qualifying, if we don't beat Ukraine.