NIFL Premiership

Cliftonville 5–0 Coleraine 

Cliftonville moved into second place in the Sports Direct Premiership with a second-half demolition of Coleraine in a 5-0 victory at Solitude on Tuesday evening. 

Ahead through a Joe Gormley header before the break, a ten-minute treble saw off the Bannsiders with Gormley claiming his hat-trick, striking either side off a Ben Wilson goal. 

Wilson doubled his account and completed the rout late-on as Jim Magilton’s side secured their most comprehensive win of the season to date. 

The Reds’ boss was most impressed with his sides determination to put on a performance in their first home game in almost a month. 

“I’m absolutely delighted,” beamed Magilton. 

“Again, the first half was an entertaining game of football. I knew they [Coleraine] would come and present themselves as they did against Glentoran. I thought they were excellent for an away performance and to win in the manner which they did on Friday, but we just had a feeling in our dressing room. 

“The boys were determined to really kick on and we haven’t been at home for year. It was important that we put on a real show tonight. We were really determined to do well and we did.”

Magilton made two enforced changes from the side that started Saturday’s 2-0 win at Ballymena. 

Injuries ruled out Kris Lowe and Sam Ashford, with Conor Pepper and Joe Gormley promoted to the starting 11. 

Cliftonville were first to threaten when Luke Turner cut out a dangerous opportunity and found Sean Stewart out wide. Stewart played the ball in field to Doherty and he picked out Gormley in the area, but the striker’s shot flashed over the angle of post and crossbar. 

Lyndon Kane let fly with a snapshot that David Odumosu dealt with before Gormley thumped a volley off the top of the crossbar. 

Coleraine’s best opportunity came on 17 minutes when Andrew Scott fizzed a low ball across the face of goal, which evaded the run of the unmarked Matthew Shevlin. 

Midway through the half, Martin Gallagher kept out Reds’ talisman Ben Wilson after a superb reverse pass from Ronan Doherty. 

Odhran Casey was penalised for bringing down Matthew Shevlin on the edge of the area, but Lee Lynch was unable to take advantage, lifting the resulting free-kick over the bar. 

Cliftonville upped the ante as Joe Gormley slipped the ball through to Luke Turner to fire over the bar and a few minutes later, a long ball from Casey found Gormley whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. 

It was from the resulting set piece that the opener came. In the 38th minute, Doherty’s corner was met by the head of Addis and his downward header was flicked home by Gormley for his fourth goal of the season and first since picking up a foot injury against Newry back in August. 

Coleraine suffered a further blow before the break when playmaker Jamie Glackin was forced off with a reoccurrence of a shoulder injury and he was replaced by Stephen Lowry before the whistle. 

The hosts almost doubled their lead after the break when Cricky Gallagher curled a low effort inches past the post. 

It was then the Bannsiders’ turn to threaten an equaliser when Matthew Shevlin robbed Jonny Addis in possession and slipped in former Reds’ striker and substitute David McDaid, but Odumosu turned his effort past the post. 

It was an opportunity Oran Kearney’s side would rue as Cliftonville turned on the style with three goals in the space of 10 minutes. 

Their second goal arrived at the second time of asking. Chris Gallagher almost replicated his goal at Seaview eight days previous, peeling away and taking a short corner from Ronan Doherty, but his shot was turned behind by Martin Gallagher. 

Doherty again found Gallagher and he in turn picked out Ben Wilson whose curling shot was blocked on the line by Josh Carson, with Gormley on hand to take a touch and blast home his second of the evening. 

It was game, set and match just before the hour mark as Jim Magilton’s side found a quickfire second. 

Ben Wilson found the run of rampant full-back Stewart, he burst forward and was able to pick out Wilson to side foot home his eighth goal of the season. 

The rampant Reds made it 4-0 in the 63rd minute. Conor Pepper caught the Coleraine defence napping with a quick throw that released Rory Hale, his shot deflected off Wilson and was turned onto the bar by Gallagher. Wilson was unable to convert the rebound and at the third time of asking, Gormley bundled the loose ball home to claim his hat-trick. 

Gormley would leave to a standing ovation with 20 minutes remaining, but the goal threat didn’t diminish and in his absence strike partner Ben Wilson completed the rout 10 minutes from time. 

Substitute Jack Berry launched a long ball forward from defence that found Ben Wilson on the edge of the box. The striker took a touch and sent a low curling shot into the bottom corner to make it nine goals from nine games in the league and cap off a comfortable evening for his side.  

CLIFONVILLE: Odumosu, Pepper, Addis, Casey (Kenny 89’), Turner, Stewart, Gallagher (Kearney 81’), Doherty, Rory Hale (C Curran 81’), Gormley (Berry 71’), Wilson (Corrigan 89’). 

COLERAINE: Gallagher, Kane, Kelly, Cole, Scott (Jarvis 84’), Carson (Wallace 84’), McKendry, Lynch, Glackin (Lowry 45+2’), McLaughlin (McDaid 46’), Shevlin (Mitchell 71’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson