NIFL League Cup, quarter-final
Cliftonville 3-2 Newry City 

CLIFTONVILLE’S defence of the Bet McLean League Cup was under threat when they trailed 2-0 to Newry in their Quarter-final clash at Solitude on Tuesday evening. 

But a quickfire Joe Gormley double and a sweet strike from Ronan Hale ensured that the North Belfast side took their place in the last four with a 3-2 comeback victory. 

Brian Healy capitalised on a goalkeeping error from Fynn Talley to give the visitors a shock lead and it was doubled when Donal Scullion again nipped in and found the net before the break. 

The hosts responded quickly with Joe Gormley striking twice in the space of 60 seconds to level things up at 2-2 and extra-time looked a possibility until Ronan Hale hammered home the winner with little over 10 minutes remaining to set up a repeat of last year’s final against Coleraine in next month’s last four clash. 

Reds’ boss Paddy McLaughlin insists his charges were the better side in the opening half and felt getting an early second half goal was vital to their turnaround. 

“We were 2-0 down and I believe we were playing really well,” McLaughlin reflected. 

“We played some good football, passed the ball very quickly, created three or four great chances in the first half. The ’keeper has pulled off a couple of good saves and missed opportunities in front of goal. 

“The two goals came out of absolutely nowhere, there was no real threat in any of the two goals. There was no build-up in attack, it was just two individual errors and two good finishes from the two Newry lads. 

“We were quite relaxed and quite calm at half-time. There was no banging doors or kicking tables, nothing like that, it was quite relaxed. 

“We knew that if we kept playing the way we were playing we could create more chances, but we had to be more clinical and have more quality in front of goal. 

“In the second half we showed that. It was vital we scored the first goal in the second half because if Newry score then the game is over. Getting an early goal to make it 2-1 was the trigger for us to go and dominate the second half and attack at every opportunity. 

“Fair play to the boys, they stuck to the plan, they stuck to the belief in themselves and the players around them and I thought they got their rewards in the end. Two freak goals at half-time, but over the general play, I thought we fully deserved the win.”

In the midst of five games in 14 days, McLaughlin opted to rotate and handed starts to Fynn Talley, Chris Curran and Joe Gormley. 

Cliftonville were slightly laboured in the opening half and their best opening came when Ronan Hale picked out brother Rory whose shot was blocked by Declan Carville inside the penalty area. 

The opener came after 33 minutes and fell to Newry City. Reds’ ’keeper Fynn Talley came to clear his lines and only succeeded in miscuing to Brian Healy at the halfway line who got inside his own half and lifted his shot over Talley and into the net. 

Donal Scullion finds the net
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Donal Scullion finds the net

The hosts tried to respond immediately as Jamie McDonagh sent in a low cross that ex-Northern Ireland defender Ryan McGivern was forced to knock behind. 

Newry goalkeeper Niall Brady then prevented Ronan Hale with a brave stop at the striker’s feet. 

Just before the break, Newry doubled their advantage as Dale Montgomery charged down the left channel and his square pass was met by Donal Scullion who nipped in front of Talley and clipped an angled shot into the roof of the net to make it 2-0 at the interval. 

McLaughlin opted to spring Ryan Curran from the bench at the break and the hosts upped the ante after the restart. 

Ronan Doherty picked out Ronan Hale in the area, but Hale was crowded out the opportunity vanished. 

On 55 minutes, McLaughlin’s side were back in business. Rory Hale clipped a cross into the area as Ryan McGivern’s headed clearance fell to Joe Gormley whose thumping half-volley may have taken a deflection off Ryan Curran on the way through but hit the net. 

Gormley showed his lethal prowess and levelled within 60 seconds. Again it was Rory Hale who lifted a pass over the top to Gormley who weaved into a shooting position and rifled low past Niall Brady at the near-post to make it 2-2. 

Joe Gormley equalises
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Joe Gormley equalises

Newry almost restored their lead instantly, but Brian Healy miscued and sliced a promising chance wide of target. 

At the other end, Ronan Hale saw his shot smothered by Niall Brady and Joe Gormley sent a rasping effort a matter of inches over the bar. 

The winner came with 11 minutes remaining and it was Ronan Hale who bagged it with a low shot that squeezed past Brady at the near post. 

The visitors pushed for a late leveller that would have forced extra-time, but Talley held onto a flicked header from Carville and denied Ryan McGivern deep into added time as the hosts came out the right side of the five-goal thriller. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Talley, C Curran, Addis, Robinson, Lowe, Doherty, Gallagher, Rory Hale, R Curran, McDonagh (R Curran 46’), Ronan Hale. 

NEWRY CITY: Brady, King, N Healy, McGivern, Omrore, Carville, Lockhart (Boudiaf 61’), B Healy, Kwelele (Donnelly 61’), Scullion (Teelan 72’), Montgomery. 

REFEREE: Shane Andrews