NIFL Premiership
Linfield 1
Cliftonville 2
At Windsor Park

CLIFTONVILLE ended the regulation league season with a 2-1 win over Linfield at Windsor Park on Saturday evening, in what could be a dress rehearsal for the upcoming European Play-Off Final in a few weeks' time. 

A first half double from Liam McStravick sandwiched between a Chris McKee penalty completed the evenings scoring in the opening half as Cliftonville secured back-to-back league victories for the first time in over a month, much to the delight of manager Jim Magilton. 

“It had a bit of an end of season feel about it, it started off okay – it helped that we scored a really good goal,” Magilton reflected. 

“It probably dragged Linfield into the game, which is always important. Then there was a lot of nothing, but for us it was important people getting minutes. 

“Liam McStravick scoring two goals is important for us, it builds his confidence. He took his goals really well."

Magilton made two changes from the XI that started their victory over Dungannon Swifts seven days previous. Shaun Leppard returned after an injury lay-off and Keevan Hawthorne was also drafted in as Aiden Kelly and Micheál Glynn dropped out. 

It was Cliftonville who drew first blood within three minutes in South Belfast. Reds skipper Rory Hale threaded a delightful through ball into the path of Liam McStravick who latched onto the pass, drove into the box and shot low past David Walsh to score against the club that he joined after leaving Cliftonville as youth player. 

Linfield responded within five minutes when Matt Yates was brought to ground under the challenge of Josh Kelly and referee Shane McGongale pointed to the spot. 

Responsibility fell to Chris McKee from the spot and he made no mistake, sending PJ Morrison the wrong way and rolling the ball low to the opposite corner to restore parity. 

The Blues could have hit the front just after the midway point in the half, but Ben Hall’s close range attempt was blocked on the line by Joe Toole. 

Instead, Cliftonville restored their advantage through McStravick. Keevan Hawthorne played a pass infield to the winger, and he found a yard of space before pulling the trigger from outside the box to make it 2-1.  

Chris McKee missed the chance to claim a brace of his own on the stroke of half-time, though his shot took a deflection and whistled behind from Matt Fitzpatrick’s fine cut back as Cliftonville held a narrow lead at the interval. 

The visitors began the second half brightly and should have doubled their advantage when Joe Toole’s cross was met by Adam Carroll and his header crashed off the bar. 

Blues keeper David Walsh needed to be alert to claw a Rory Hale effort behind from outside the box. 

With only pride at stake and both sides' league positions secured ahead of the game, both managers emptied their benches before the evening was out as Cliftonville held on to make it successive league wins ahead of entering the European Play-Offs in a couple of weeks' time. 

Linfield’s Bet McLean Cup victory ensures they go straight into the Final at Windsor Park on the 12th of May, whilst Cliftonville must wait for the conclusion of Clearer Water Irish Cup Final to see if they will host Carrick Rangers in a prelim quarter-final or face the winners of Dungannon Swifts and Carrick at home in the semi-finals if Coleraine emerge victorious at the weekend. 


LINFIELD: Walsh, Hall, Leahy, McCullough (Taylor 55’), McClean, McGee, Mulgrew (Archer 55’), Yates, Millar, McKee (McDaid 74’), Fitzpatrick. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, Toole (Green 78’), Leppard, J Kelly, Conlon, Wilson, Hale (Robertson 75’), Hawthorne (Jordan 65’), McStravick (Sheridan 46’), Carroll, Curran (Gormley 65’). 

REFEREE: Shane McGongale