NIFL Europa Conference League playoff final
Coleraine 0-2 Cliftonville
EIGHT days after missing out on Irish Cup success, Cliftonville secured the European qualification that they also missed out on that day with a 2-0 win over Coleraine in the playoff final at the Coleraine Showgrounds on Sunday afternoon.
Rory Hale pounced to open the scoring on the half hour mark and after Bannsiders goalkeeper Max Little was red-carded for clattering into Joe Gormley, Axel Piesold doubled the lead to make sure Jim Magilton’s men became the final side to book their European slot this season and in doing so, they became the first team to win the playoffs from the bottom half of the Premiership.
Magilton believes his side deserves massive credit for their response in the past week and is adamant that it is up there with the greatest of achievements he has been a part of.
“A week is such a long time in football and it’s incredible what this group of players has achieved,” Magilton beamed.
“No team that has ever finished seventh has done it, but we have. That is just massive credit to the group of players and to bounce back in the manner in which they did.
“I thought they received really harsh criticism after the final. We created as many chances in that game to win a Cup final and we just didn’t take them. On the day, it could have went our way but it didn’t
“To regroup, to play two away games at Glentoran and to come here and win back-to-back 2-0, it’s honestly an amazing feat, an amazing achievement and it’s up there with the very best that I’ve been a part of.”
The Reds boss went with an unchanged XI from Wednesday evening's late 2-0 win against Glentoran at the Oval, with the only alteration coming on the bench where Harry Wilson returned in place of Rory Donnelly, who had an illness.
He was forced to make an early alteration, however, as Eric McWoods picked up a knock after racing onto Rory Hale’s through ball and was knocked over by Charles Dunne.
The American tried his best to continue, but was withdrawn as Ryan Corrigan entered the fray.
Coleraine almost caught the visitors napping from a well-worked training ground free-kick that saw Rhyss Campbell pull the trigger. Lewis Ridd parried his first effort and then turned a follow-up shot from Kyle McClelland behind at the expense of a corner.
Jamie Glackin then drove towards goal and saw a shot blocked by Shea Kearney, with Campbell blasting the loose ball over.
Midway through the half, Glackin slipped a pass to unmarked striker Declan McManus in the area, McManus was caught in two minds as he just about stayed on his side and Lewis Ridd held onto his low drive.
Rory Hale opens the scoring 
The deadlock was broken in the 31st minute at the Showgrounds and it arrived against the run of play.
Substitute Ryan Corrigan played a neat pass to the feet of Ryan Curran, who made space for a shot that Max Little couldn’t hold onto and Rory Hale was able to profit, slamming home from close range to give his side the advantage at the interval.
The hosts were dealt a further setback eight minutes into the second half after Rory Hale pierced a through ball that Joe Gormley latched onto and Bannsiders keeper Max Little floored Gormley in an attempt to bring a dangerous opening to a conclusion, with referee Ben McMaster issuing a red card.
Rory Brown’s first involvement was to push a low Ryan Curran attempt away from harm's way and he then kept out Luke Conlon’s follow-up.
Cliftonville made use of their numerical advantage and doubled their lead approaching the midway point in the second period.
Joe Gormley’s shot was parried by Brown, though Luke Conlon found Axel Piesold and the former Luton Town midfielder swept home to make it 2-0.
Ruairi Higgins rolled the dice and introduced a half-fit Matthew Shevlin in the closing stages. He shot just over, but the Bannsiders were unable to reduce the deficit and after seeing out 11 additional minutes, Magilton and his players were able to celebrate European qualification for a second successive season.
They will look forward to a few weeks off before embarking on preparations for the first qualifying round of the Conference League in July and with the prospective takeover from the Toronto Investment Group continuing in the background, it could be an exciting summer ahead for the Solitude club.
COLERAINE: Little, Scott, Dunne, McClelland, Ives, Smith (Brown 58’), Doherty (McGonigle 68’), Glackin, Boyle, Campbell (Jarvis 68’), McManus (Shevlin 75’).
CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Casey, Addis, Keaney, Kearney, Gordon (Pepper 68’), Piesold, Hale (Wilson 77’), Conlon (Glynn 77’), McWoods (Corrigan 10’, Gormley 46’), Curran.
REFEREE: Ben McMaster
