Ayanda Patosi’s second-half goal at the Cape Town Stadium was enough to take the Citizens to the last eight, with the Buccaneers brought down to earth.
“I think it’s an incredible morale booster because Pirates are on a high. You’ve seen the way they played against Chiefs, they were amazing so we had to plan carefully,” McCarthy told SuperSport TV.
The game that inspired their downfall of the Sea Robbers was the 4-2 thumping they dished to Chippa United two weeks ago.
McCarthy believes they did well to exploit the spaces with Lyle Lakay and Surprise Ralani as the winner came in that type of scenario.
“But I think the game that gave us an indication of how they were going to play is what they did to Chippa.
“I think we just tried to exploit what they weren’t good at because they always attack with four or five players that leaves them a little bit vulnerable at the back.
“So we had to get Lakay and Surprise on the ball and in those spaces with numbers in the box and it’s exactly how the goal came. But it was a very tough game. Pirates are a fantastic team, fantastic coach.
“They are contenders to (Mamelodi) Sundowns for the league and I wish them all the best for that. They shouldn’t see this (loss) as a setback because they are a magnificent team. At the end of the day, luck was on our side and I hope we kick on from here,” he said.