NIFL Premiership

Loughgall 1-4 Cliftonville 

CLIFTONVIILLE secured a seventh place and a guaranteed place in the end-of-season European playoffs should they fail in their bid to retain the Irish Cup after a 4-1 win over relegated Loughgall in the final game of the regulation season at Lakeview Park on Saturday evening. 

Defeat to nearest challengers Portadown last weekend ensured the Solitude side needed at least a point in their return visit to mid-Ulster, and boss Jim Magilton rang the changes from a display that he was unimpressed with. 

David Odumosu returned in goal, while Jack Keaney, Shea Kearney and Luke Conlon came into a changed defence. 

Big-hitters Rory Hale, Ryan Curran and Joe Gormley all returned to starting XI alongside youngster Axel Piesold and there was a timely return for Harry Wilson, who hadn’t featured since sustaining a hamstring injury during the first half of their Irish Cup semi-final win over Ards at the end of March. 

Cliftonville hit the front approaching the midway point in the first half at Lakeview Park. 

Rory Hale and Joe Gormley linked up with Gormley sweeping a pass out wide for Luke Conlon to run onto. Conlon fizzed the ball across the box where Ryan Curran teed up Gormley to apply the finish and score his 19th league goal of the season. 

Gormley thought he had doubled the lead and scored goal number 20 before the break when he forced home Shea Kearney’s cross at the back post, but an offside flag curtailed the celebrations and his earlier strike was the difference at the interval. 

The 35-year-old did double his account early in the second period. Odhran Casey lofted a high ball forward that Ryan Curran controlled and he slipped a pass through to Axel Piesold whose low ball found Gormley to steer home. 

In the aftermath, Reds boss Magilton altered things with the Cup final in mind and substitutes Eric McWoods and Alex Parsons combined to extend the lead after the hour mark. 

McWoods ran onto Rory Hale’s threaded pass and after drawing Berraat Turker, he squared to Parsons to apply a simple finish that completed the job. 

Loughgall pulled back a consolation goal midway through the second half after Shea Kearney was adjudged to have handled inside the area and referee Shane McGonagle pointed to the spot. 

Ryan Waide stepped up and despite David Odumosu guessing correctly, he rolled the penalty into the corner to score his side's last top-flight goal. 

The Reds would restore their three-goal advantage in the closing stages. Parsons played a pass to McWoods inside the area and his lay-off found Ryan Curran who shot low to the opposite corner of Turker’s goal to wrap up a comfortable evening's work in Armagh and ensure a place in the European playoffs should it be required. 

LOUGHGALL: Turker, Murdock (O’Brien 77’), T Kelly (Mahon 77’), Andrade, Waide, McMenemy (McCloskey 63’), Francis, Magee (D Kelly 77’), Towe, McLaughlin, Woolsey (Brogan 63’). 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Casey (Stewart 69’), Addis, Keaney, Kearney, Wilson (Lowe 46’), Hale, Piesold (Parsons 59’), Conlon (Glynn 64’), Curran, Gormley (McWoods 59’). 

REFEREE: Shane McGonagle