NIFL Premiership

Cliftonville 4–0 Ballymena United 

CLIFTONVILLE ensured they would end January at the top of the table after a comfortable 4-0 win over Ballymena United at Solitude on Saturday afternoon. 

After a frustrating opening half hour, Joe Gormley broke the Sky Blues resistance with a moment of magic and doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time from the spot. 

Ronan Hale added a third with little over a quarter of an hour remaining and Sean Moore completed the job a few minutes later to ensure it was back-to-back wins for the league leaders. 

Reds’ boss Paddy McLaughlin felt his team were excellent throughout and praised their defensive display. 

“I thought the boys were excellent from minute one through to minute 95,” he McLaughlin. 

“I thought Ballymena early in the game probably frustrated us a bit. They got bodies behind the ball quickly enough and it was a bit of a slow start from our boys. When we clicked into gear after about 10, 15 minutes, I thought we were very, very good and moved the ball really well. 

“The same in the second half, for five or ten minutes we were slow out of the blocks and a couple of corners and free kicks against, and it was a bit of a sluggish start. But again, whenever our boys got moving though the gears, I think for the last half hour it was really, really good to watch. 

“It’s not too often I would be relaxed on the line, but I think when the third goal went in you could see that we were controlling the game and we were creating chances. Defensively, I thought we were really solid and sound defensively.”

McLaughlin made one change from Tuesday evening's victory over Glenavon as Jonny Addis returned from suspension to replace Luke Turner [injury]. 

Cliftonville attempted to make the breakthrough early on with Sean Moore cutting in and firing in an angled shot that Sean O’Neill smothered with ease. 

Dougie Wilson did enough to thwart Joe Gormley, whilst O’Neill sprang across his goal to turn a Ronan Hale effort around the post and Rory Hale then sent an effort from range over the bar. 

The deadlock was broken half an hour in at Solitude. Ronan Doherty threaded in Rory Hale, and he clipped a ball across to Joe Gormley who took a touch to control and with his second, swivelled and sent a shot into the top corner of the net to score his first goal since penning a new contract extension. 

The 33-year-old missed the chance to double his account for the afternoon, firing wide after a neat build-up between Levi Ives and Ronan Hale. 

He would get the opportunity to double his and Cliftonville’s lead a minute before the break. 

Steven McCullough chopped down Sean Moore right on the edge of the box and in the opinion of the linesman, the offence was worthy of a penalty as referee Jamie Robinson pointed to the spot. 

Gormley planted the ball and drilled his powerful effort past O’Neill to make it 2-0 at the break. 

Ballymena United came out with a bit more threat after the break. January signing Robbie McVarnock was first to go close, the former Newington right-back twisted and turned on the edge of the edge before firing in a shot that clipped the bar on the way over. 

Micky Place then controlled a cross into the area and laid it off for Ross Redman, but his shot was blocked and deflected behind by Colin Coates. 

Sean Moore after netting the final goal of the game
2Gallery

Sean Moore after netting the final goal of the game

Ronan Hale was denied by O’Neill at the other end and fizzed an effort past the post. He continued his rich vein of form and put the game beyond doubt with a quarter of an hour remaining, however. 

Jonny Addis played a pass into the path of Rory Hale, he in turn slipped in younger brother Ronan who took the ball away from Ross Redman with his first touch and fired past O’Neill with his second to claim his 22nd goal of the season. 

The rout was complete just three minutes later when Levi Ives fed Sean Moore and his low shot whistled past O’Neill and into the net to make it a comfortable afternoon’s work for Paddy McLaughlin’s side and ensure they stay at the summit after an unbeaten start to the new year. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Gartside, Lowe (McDonagh 86’), Addis, Coates (Robinson 81’), Ives (Traynor 82’), Gallagher, Doherty, Rory Hale (Casey 86’), Ronan Hale, Moore, Gormley (C Curran 82’). 

BALLYMENA UNITED: O’Neill, Redman, Wilson (Gibson 72’), Whiteside, McDaid, Kelly, McCullough, Henderson, McVarnock (McGrory 82’), Graham, Place (Waide 82’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson