Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup, Round Two
Carrick Rangers 0–1 Cliftonville
CLIFTONVILLE advanced to the last eight of the Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup after Ronan Doherty struck in the last 10 minutes to see off Carrick Rangers in Saturday’s clash at the Belfast Loughview Leisure Arena.
After a scoreless first half, the visitors upped the ante in the second period and saw a Doherty goal chalked off for offside.
But the Derry native would eventually bundle home the only goal of the game from close range to set-up a quarter-final clash with Coleraine next month to the delight of his manager who was full of praise to both sets of players for slogging it out in the tough elements.
“In any cup competition the most important thing is to get through to the next round and we’ve got through to the next round,” reflected McLaughlin.
“The boys had to work extremely hard. The conditions were atrocious for both sets of players. To go through the elements in the second half you’ve got to give them credit.
“We’re standing on the line with coats zipped up, beanie hats and I’m sure the supporters as well, but the players were out there in those conditions working their socks off.
“Fair play to both sets and to come through all that with a clean sheet and a win. It’s a brilliant day for us and a good day at the office. It gets us into the next round of the Cup and that’s what we came here for.”
Jamie McDonagh takes a shot as Thomas Scully closes in
McLaughlin made two changes from their draw with Ballymena last time out. Colin Coates and Daniel Kearns came into the starting 11 at the expense of Luke Turner and Joe Gormley.
Cliftonville had an early opportunity when David Cushley caught Ryan Curran, but Jamie McDonagh’s free-kick was straight down the throat of Aaron Hogg.
At the other end, the hosts called Reds’ goalkeeper Luke McNicholas into action as Ben Tilney slipped the ball to Jordan Gibson who laid the ball off for Alex Gawne whose shot was clawed around the post and behind at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.
Jonny Addis glanced a Levi Ives free-kick inches past the post and fellow centre-back Colin Coates went closer past the midway point in the half.
A route-one free-kick from Jamie McDonagh was flicked on by the head of Coates, but his header crashed off the underside of the bar.
Just before the break, the visitors again went close when a crossfield ball from Coates landed at the feet of McDonagh on the edge of the area and the in-form winger saw his low effort parried by Aaron Hogg as the sides went in at the break with the tie firmly balanced.
Cliftonville almost made the breakthrough within 60 seconds of the restart, but Ronan Doherty’s cross was hooked over the bar by McDonagh inside the area.
Playing with the wind advantage in the second half, Carrick tried to use the elements to their advantage as Reece Glendinning saw an effort from range float wide and Stuart Nixon sent a high ball across the face of goal and over.
On 68 minutes, the opener appeared to have arrived when a Cliftonville corner saw a scramble inside the area. Jamie McDonagh’s goal-bound shot was blocked, and Ryan Curran fizzed in a follow-up that was helped to the net by Ronan Doherty.
The Carrick Rangers players furiously appealed for an offside flag and after consultation between Raymond Crangle and his linesman, the goal was chalked off.
David Cushley with Kris Lowe 
Aaron Hogg gathered a Doherty effort at the second attempt with a quarter of an hour remaining and substitute Paul O’Neill glanced over from McDermott’s cross as the pressure intensified.
With little under 10 minutes remaining, the deadlock eventually came: Conor McDermott’s cross was blocked. and Jamie McDonagh managed to clip the ball into the danger area. Aaron Hogg spilled the ball into the path of Doherty whose first attempt hit the ’keeper, but at the second time of asking Doherty stabbed the ball home to give his side the lead.
Paddy McLaughlin’s men should have put the game to bed when McDermott slipped the ball to Paul O’Neill, but the striker unselfishly laid the ball to Ryan Curran whose shot was parried to safety by Hogg.
Carrick were afforded six additional minutes in order to chase an equaliser that would have forced extra-time, but it didn’t arrive as Cliftonville saw the game out to advance to a quarter-final tie with Coleraine at Solitude next month.
CARRICK RANGERS: Hogg, Ervin (Kelly 84), Gordon, Cushley, Gawne (Nixon 38), Glendinning, Gibson, Carson (Chambers 84), Scully, Tilney, Anderson.
CLIFTONVILLE: McNicholas, McDermott, Addis, Coates, Ives, Lowe, Gallagher, Doherty, Kearns (O’Neill 63), McDonagh (C Curran 84), R Curran.
REFEREE: Raymond Crangle
