Bet McLean League Cup Final (AET)
Cliftonville 4–3 Coleraine
CLIFTONVILLE dethroned Coleraine and won the Bet McLean League Cup for the first time since 2016 with a 4-3 comeback win against the Bannsiders in Sunday afternoon’s final at Windsor Park.
It appeared as though Coleraine would hang onto the trophy they won when the competition was last contested back in 2020 when they scored two goals in a five-minute period through Matthew Shevlin and Stephen Lowry around the hour-mark.
But Joe Gormley pounced with almost a quarter of an hour remaining and Paul O’Neill bundled home an injury-time leveller to force extra-time.
Coleraine were reduced to 10 men early in the first period when James McLaughlin struck out at Chris Curran and the Reds made the most of their numerical advantage when Paul O’Neill clipped home his second at the end of the first period.
Gormley then added to his early goal at the beginning of the second period and despite Curtis Allen striking a late consolation, Paddy McLaughlin’s side held on to win the trophy for the first time in six years.
McLaughlin named an unchanged side from Tuesday evening's win at The Oval as Jonny Addis and Jamie McDonagh shook off niggles sustained in their victory in East Belfast.
Cliftonville had an early chance inside of four minutes when Jamie McDonagh was clipped in the wide position and his set-piece fell to Ryan Curran who glanced wide of the post.
At the other end, Jamie Glackin picked up a stray pass in midfield and got the better of Levi Ives before crossing to Matthew Shevlin, but Shevlin stabbed an effort off target.
Joe Gormley celebrates finding the net
Both sides cancelled each other well during a first period that lacked excitement. Jamie McDonagh took the ball down on the edge of the area and drove a shot wide and high past the post.
Ten minutes before the break, Ryan Curran headed the ball into the path of McDonagh, who controlled and let fly with a snapshot that Gareth Deane comfortably dealt with as the sides headed in at the break with the final poised and goalless.
The North Belfast side created the first half-chance of the second period from a short corner that was headed on by Ryan Curran, Daniel Kearns tried to hook in goalwards, but it was blocked and thundered behind off Curran.
On 58 minutes the deadlock was broken at Windsor Park and like the Irish Cup encounter last week, it was Coleraine who stole a march.
Lyndon Kane slid the ball through to Matthew Shevlin, who got in behind Jonny Addis and poked it past Luke McNicholas to make it 1-0 to the holders.
Oran Kearney’s side had their tales up and doubled their advantage five minutes later. Cliftonville failed to clear their lines from a corner and Stephen Lowry hammered home via the underside of the bar to give the Reds a mountain to climb.
Cliftonville pushed for a goal that would set up a grandstand finish and it arrived with little over a quarter of an hour remaining.
Levi Ives picked out Ryan Curran with a short throw and his pinpoint cross found the head of Joe Gormley, whose header was directed past Gareth Deane and into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.
Gormley’s goal sparked the Reds into life with the striker chasing a couple of dangerous balls through, though it was to no immediate avail.
On 84 minutes Luke Turner sent a lofted ball forward and Gormley got on the end of it but headed over the bar.
It looked as though the Reds’ best opportunity had passed them by on the 90th minute when Paul O’Neill sent in a low cross from the left, it was half-cleared, and Joe Gormley thumped an effort towards goal that was blocked by Aaron Traynor.
However, they went again and a minute into seven added minutes they pegged the Bannsiders back.
After laying siege to the Coleraine six-yard box, a header from Jonny Addis clipped the crossbar and substitute Paul O’Neill bundled the ball home to make it 2-2.
A repeat of the 2020 County Antrim Shield final appeared to be on the cards as McLaughlin’s side pushed for a winner, it didn’t come and extra-time was necessary.
There was drama two minutes into the first period of extra-time when Jamie McDonagh was chopped down out wide, both sets of players came embroiled in a heated debate and Coleraine striker James McLaughlin floored Chris Curran.
James McLaughlin is given his marching orders 
After consultation with the linesman closest to the incident, referee Andrew Davey issued a red card and also sent Bannsiders assistant manager William Murphy to the stands for his protests in the aftermath.
Playing with the extra-man advantage Cliftonville tried to make the most of it and a vital interception from Aaron Traynor quelled a dangerous Chris Curran opening.
Ryan Curran then slid in Paul O’Neill and Gareth Deane was at full-stretch to deny the Reds substitute his second of the afternoon.
But a minute before the end of the first period O’Neill did conjure up his second. Chris Curran won the ball wide and cut-back to the striker to thump beyond Deane and complete an incredible fightback and make it 3-2 midway through extra-time.
It was game, set and match for the Reds within three minutes of the second period as Ryan Curran and Gormley linked up for the second time with the latter tapping home from Curran’s low cross to grab his second of the afternoon and make it 4-2.
Coleraine threatened a grandstand finish when substitute Curtis Allen fired home at the near post with 120 minutes on the clock.
But it was scant consolation as Cliftonville held out to win the League Cup and their second trophy under McLaughlin.
CLIFTONVILLE: McNicholas, Lowe, Addis, Turner, Ives, Gallagher, Doherty (O’Neill 70), Hale (C Curran 53), Kearns (Gormley 61), McDonagh (Coates 113), R Curran.
COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, O’Donnell, Brown, Traynor (Allen 106), Carson, Kelly, Lowry, McKendry (Wilson 73), Glackin (McLaughlin 78), Shevlin (Bradley 88).
REFEREE: Andrew Davey
