Clearer Water Irish Cup, Fifth Round (AET)

Coleraine 0– 3 Cliftonville

CLIFTONVILLE advanced to the last 16 of the Clearer Water Irish Cup after Ronan Hale netted an extra-time hat-trick in their 3-0 win over Coleraine at the Showgrounds on Friday evening. 

In an uneventful 90 minutes, Sam Ashford saw red within 14 minutes of his introduction, but Coleraine’s numerical advantage was wiped out when captain Lyndon Kane was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute and extra-time was required. 

The first period appeared to be heading for a stalemate until Hale latched onto Jack Scott’s slack pass and arrowed a shot high over Rory Brown to give his side the advantage. 

The striker doubled his tally with five minutes remaining and then claimed the match ball moments later to ensure his side are safely into Saturday’s evening’s last 16 draw, much to the delight of his manager , Jim Magilton, who hailed his unbelievable ability and hunger.  

“It’s those moments,” Magilton reflected. 

“I was lucky to play with an absolute genius in Matt Le Tissier at Southampton and for 89 minutes he might not touch it and be indifferent in all aspects and then he will land on the ball and does something - he has that kind of mystic. Ronan has that unbelievable ability. 

“He is so hungry, nothing puts him off. He’s had a couple of mishits, but nothing puts him off. He’s so, so hungry and when you talk about the first goal, the second goal with his composure and obviously and one-v-one for the third. To score a hat-trick and put us through was huge for us on a difficult night.”

The Reds were forced into a late alteration before kick off with Chris Gallagher ruled out and Ronan Doherty taking his place in the starting 11, with Reece Jordan promoted to the bench. 

Cliftonville wasted little time in trying to find the opener and within the first 60 seconds Ronan Hale let fly with a shot that debutant goalkeeper Rory Brown dealt with. 

At the other end, Lee Lynch combined with David McDaid and Lynch tried his luck with an effort that David Odumosu had covered. 

Sean Stewart deflected a Ben Wilson cross past the post early on and Rory Brown almost cost his side a goal midway through the half when his carless clearance was seized upon by Shea Kearney whose shot that pushed past the post by the Bannsiders’ ’keeper. 

It was Cliftonville’s turn to get themselves into a tricky situation before the half hour mark. Jonny Addis overhit pass was intercepted by Jamie Glackin, he linked up with Lee Lynch and then fed Jack Scott, but the former Linfield midfielder was unable to profit. 

Both Hale brothers tried their luck, Ronan lifting a shot over the bar and Rory trying a shot from the edge of the box that Rory Brown smothered. 

Just before the break, Lee Lynch pulled the ball across but there were no takers in the area and Odumosu was able to collect with ease as the sides headed in the cup tie scoreless at the interval. 

Cliftonville carved out the first opening after the break, Sean Stewart saw effort charged down and Luke Turner’s follow-up was deflected behind for a corner off Jack Scott, but the subsequent set piece came to nothing in the end. 

Just before the hour mark, Lee Lynch’s pull back tried to find McDaid, however Odumosu got there first to gather. 

A Joe Gormley flick on released Ben Wilson who blazed high and wide of the target and in response Jim Magilton tried to alter things. Introducing Sam Ashford for Joe Gormley. 

Ashford’s introduction was short-lived and last less than a quarter of an hour after the Englishman caught Dean Jarvis with a high foot and was shown a straight red card by referee Raymond Crangle with 10 minutes remaining. 

The Bannsiders were unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage before it was 10 v 10. 

Already on a booking, Coleraine captain Lyndon Kane caught Ronan Hale with a follow through and Crangle showed the left-back a second yellow card. 

The elusive goal evaded both sides and like last season’s cup clashes, extra time was required. 

Rory Hale called Rory Brown into action a few minutes into the first period, but the Coleraine shot-stopper turned away his goal-bound effort. 

A minute shy of the end of the first period, the breakthrough would eventually arrive. Jack Scott’s loose ball was intercepted by Ronan Hale, and he had one thing on his mind, lifting the ball over the dive of Brown and into the net for his ninth goal of the season to date. 

Coleraine almost hit back in injury time when David McDaid charged into the area, but a superb sliding tackle from Jonny Addis averted the danger and Hale’s goal was the difference at the midway point. 

Bannsiders’ boss Oran Kearney introduced youngsters Senan Devine and Lee McLaughlin to try and provide fresh impetus. 

Hale with the match ball following his hat-trick
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Hale with the match ball following his hat-trick

It was Cliftonville who would wrap things up five minutes before the end of the second period. 

David Odumosu hooked a high pass towards Hale on the wing and Coleraine substitute Darren Cole failed to cut the danger out. 

Hale took over and showed patience and great footwork to work his way past the former Glentoran defender before slotting the ball underneath Brown to reach double figures for the season. 

The 25-year-old would ensure he left with the match ball with another strike two minutes from time. 

Ronan Doherty’s attempted through ball was half cleared before Conor Pepper threaded a pass through to Hale, who drew out Brown and fired low into the corner to seal a 3-0 win and a place in the sixth round.  

COLERAINE: Brown, Kane, D Jarvis, A Jarvis, McDaid, Farren, Lynch (O’Hara 61’), Glackin (Cole 102’), J Scott (Devine 105’), O’Mahony (McLaughlin 105’), A Scott (Lowry 90’). 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Casey, Addis, Turner (Pepper 111’), Stewart (McGuinness 105’), Doherty, Rory Hale, Ronan Hale, Wilson (C Curran 97’), Gormley (Ashford 66’). 

REFEREE: Raymond Crangle