NIFL Premiership

Larne 8-1 Cliftonville
 
TWO weeks after defeating Larne in the semi-final of the Irish Cup, Cliftonville suffered humiliation at the hands of the league champions as the 10-men were thumped 8-1 at Inver Park on Saturday evening.
 
Lee Bonis had the hosts ahead inside of 10 minutes and former Reds defender Aaron Donnelly rifled home to double his side's advantage.
 
Already facing an uphill task, Ronan Hale was shown a second yellow for dissent and after netting a brace in their league victory at Solitude 11 days previous, Andy Ryan added two quickfire strikes to give his side a 4-0 lead at the break.
 
Ryan completed his hat-trick early in the second half before Ben Wilson grabbed a consolation from the spot after Odhran Casey was bundled over by Paul O’Neill.
 
It wasn’t to spark any inspiration as Larne added three goals in the final half hour. Leroy Millar restored the five-goal advantage with a near post finish, Joe Thomson flicked in Andy Ryan’s shot and in injury-time Chris Gallagher blasted home the pick of the goals against his former employers as Larne returned to the summit with three games remaining.
 
Assistant manager Gerard Lyttle felt the display was well below his sides standards and issued an apology to supporters for the comprehensive manor of their dismantling.    
 
“I don’t think anybody expected that, certainly not us as coaching staff,” Lyttle admitted.
 
“The standards that we’ve set this season as a team and a club - that was well below them. It’s not acceptable and all we can do is apologise to our fans first and foremost and regroup. We’re back in on Monday, which is good, to get ready for a game on Tuesday against our biggest rivals. Hopefully we can put some things right.”

Reds boss Jim Magilton made four changes from the starting XI that were held to a 2-2 draw by Coleraine last weekend.
 
Sean Stewart dropped out through injury and replaced by Stephen McGuinness at left back. Conor Pepper, Joe Gormley and Ben Wilson also dropped out as Ronan Doherty, Shea Gordon and Ronan Hale all occupied starting berths.
 
Champions Larne dropped from the summit on Friday evening after Linfield’s late win at Seaview but were ahead inside of 10 minutes at home.
 
Lee Bonis robbed Odhran Casey at the touchline and weaved his way into the area before firing low past David Odumosu at the near post to make it 1-0.

Rory Hale saw his free-kick turned away by Rohan Ferguson and less than 60 seconds later, Larne doubled their lead.
 
An in-swinging corner was half cleared by David Odumosu and Aaron Donnelly saw his shot from the edge of the box take a deflection to make it 2-0.
 
Former Larne striker Ronan Hale was booked in the opening stages after colliding with Rohan Ferguson and on the half hour mark, he was shown a second yellow card.
 
Hale felt he should have been awarded a free-kick and vented his frustration towards referee Ian McNabb who showed him a second yellow and subsequent red.
 
Thereafter, things went from bad to worse as Larne doubled their advantage before the break.
 
Mark Randall stole the ball from Odhran Casey at the edge of the box and fed Andy Ryan for a simple finish.
 
Ryan doubled his account in injury-time, whipping an angled free kick into the far corner of the net to make it 4-0 at the interval.

Aaron Donnelly celebrates with Lee Bonis
2Gallery

Aaron Donnelly celebrates with Lee Bonis

The Scottish striker secured hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half. Ryan played a delightful one-two with Lee Bonis and had the composure to finish beyond Odumosu.
 
Cliftonville showed a brief sign of life on the hour mark when substitute Paul O’Neill was adjudged to have held back Odhran Casey in the area and referee McNabb pointed to the spot.
 
Ben Wilson stepped up and sent Ferguson the wrong way to grab what would only prove to be scant consolation.
 
On 72 minutes, the hosts restored their five-goal lead. Michael Glynn played a delightful one-two with Paul O’Neill and his cushioned header fell to Leroy Millar to steer a shot into the corner and make it 6-1.
 
Just over a minute later, Andy Ryan’s shot was helped home by Joe Thomson and there was still time for January signing Chris Gallagher to have the final say in added time with a perfectly executed strike into the bottom corner to wrap up a comprehensive 8-1 win and send the champions back to the top of the table with three games remaining.
 
LARNE: Ferguson, Bonis (O’Neill 57’), Donnelly, Randall (Sloan 57’), Ryan (Kearns 78’), Millar, Cosgrove, Graham (Glynn 57’), Thomson, Gallagher, Williams (Orozco 36’).
 
CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Addis, Casey, Burns, McGuinness (Wilson 46’), Doherty, C Curran, Gordon (Gormley 62’), Rory Hale, Ronan Hale.
 
REFEREE: Ian McNabb