Bet McLean Cup quarter-final 

Armagh City 0-3 Cliftonville 

CLIFTONVILLE advanced to the semi-final of the Bet McLean Cup after overcoming the elements to score three second-half goals in their 3-0 win over Armagh City at Holm Park on Wednesday evening. 

Jim Magilton rang the changes from his side's 1-1 draw with Larne on Sunday afternoon, as David Odumosu, Conor Pepper, Luke Conlon, Jonny Addis [suspended] and Joe Gormley all dropped out of the XI. 

Lewis Ridd, Axel Piesold, Ryan Corrigan, Ryan Curran and debutant Harry Wilson all occupied starting berths. 

On a blustery night for football, both teams struggled to create chances inside the opening quarter of an hour. 

Cliftonville carved out the first major threat when Rory Hale put a cross into the near post but Ryan Curran flashed over from close range. 

On the half-hour mark, Ethan Jordan lined up a long-range free-kick from 40 yards, but stand-in keeper Lewis Ridd smothered his ambitious attempt that could have gone anywhere with the elements. 

The hosts should have made the breakthrough when Ridd fumbled a long throw from Dale Montgomery, which came back off the post and captain Conor Mullen and Marc McConnell were unable to force the loose ball home in a scramble in the aftermath. 

In the dying embers of the half, Shea Geraghty blocked a low Ryan Corrigan cross and Axel Piesold blasted over the bar as the half ended scoreless. 

The deadlock was broken three minutes after the restart and fell to Cliftonville with Ryan Curran rising highest to glance home from Micheál Glynn’s towering cross. 

They could have doubled their lead after the hour mark. Taylor Steven slipped the ball into Curran’s path and he cut back for Rory Hale to send a snapshot over. 

Hale atoned for his miss by doubling the lead in the 65th minute. Glynn was again involved in the build-up with a through ball that Hale shot into the bottom corner past City keeper Conor Byrne. 

Taylor Steven saw a further shot crash off the woodwork minutes later as the visitors sought their insurance policy. 

Armagh City almost set up a grandstand finish when James McCormack weaved his way into the area and saw his near post shot blocked. The loose ball fell to substitute Lee McMenemy and his follow-up was kept out by the foot of Ridd. 

Instead, it was Cliftonville who wrapped things up in injury-time. Ronan Doherty slid a pass into the feet of substitute Jack Berry, and he unselfishly squared to 15-year-old Coran Madden who timed his run and tapped into the empty net to score his first senior goal for the club, weeks after making his first appearance. 

It sealed a comfortable win for the six-time winners who advance to a semi-final clash with Larne at Inver Park in the New Year. 

ARMAGH CITY: Byrne, Montgomery, Geraghty (McMenemy 87’), McCormack, Conway (King 87’), Mullen (Mbuli 73’), Duffy (Rutkowski 56’), Clarke, Jordan, McConnell (Lavery 73’), Oladunjoye. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Kearney, Casey, Wilson, Glynn, Steven (Madden 70’), Piesold, Doherty, Hale (Pettifer 70’), Corrigan (Ojo 77’), Curran (Berry 77’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson