Bet McLean Cup
Round of 16
Cliftonville 3
Strabane Athletic 2
JOE GORMLEY’s milestone 300th career goal sparked the Cup holders fightback and spared them from becoming the third Premiership side to exit the Bet McLean Cup at the hands of lower league opposition when the Reds defeated Strabane Athletic 5-2 at Solitude on Wednesday evening.
Strabane raced into an unlikely two goal lead within 12 minutes thanks to strikes from Gary Merritt and Oisin Duffy which silenced the majority inside the North Belfast venue.
Ever reliable, Gormley stroked home to get things back on track and Micheál Glynn produced a fine strike to level before Jonny Addis had his side ahead before the break.
The second half went more to script as Joe Sheridan and Conor Falls both opened their club account to make things appear straight-forward, though it was anything but at times during the course of the 90-minutes.
Reds boss Jim Magilton was full of praise for Strabane and felt the final outcome flattered his side.
“First of all, credit where credit is due – Strabane were outstanding”.
“Despite giving our lads enough information and talking about how disciplined they are, and how structurally very good they are. They were aggressive but they played really well and deserved their 2-0 lead."
“We were so slow out of the blocks, and there may be some excuse for lads not having played, but no excuse for the goals. Really poor goals defensively. Then it kind of a way wakened us up and when we started passing the ball, moving the ball and good movement we created opportunities and maybe could have had one or two more at half time."
“Credit to Strabane. They restricted us to an extent and then the substitutions helped us, we ran out 5-2 winners but in all fairness to Strabane it kind of a way flattered us.”
Magilton made a host of changes to the XI that drew 0-0 with Linfield on Sunday afternoon. The only survivors were Peter Morrison, Jonny Addis and Jack Keaney as Magilton paired Joe Gormley with Brandon Bermingham in attack.
It was the Premier Intermediate side that took a shock lead in the eighth minute when Gary Merritt ran onto a through pass and slipped the ball past Peter Morrison and into the bottom corner to send the visiting fans into raptures.
COMEBACK KINGS: The Reds came from two down to win
There was almost a stunned silence but for the pocket of Strabane fans who were in dreamland when Oisin Duffy’s shot on the turn from Merritt’s pass whistled past Morrison at his near post to make it 2-0 .
Midway through the first half, Cliftonville found a lifeline and it was a historic strike with Joe Gormley netting his 300th goal for the club.
The 35-year-old got on the end of a back-heeled pass from strike partner Brandon Bermingham and lifted the ball over Thomas McDermott to half the deficit.
Ten minutes later the Reds pulled level, this time Gormley played the provider's role with a lay off into the path of Micheál Glynn who produced a thumping finish into the top corner.
The comeback was complete before the break with a cool and composed finish from Jonny Addis after Joe Gormley’s back heel was helped on by Bermingham into the centre halve's path, to slightly allay the home fans' early fears.
Cliftonville thought they had doubled their lead when Shea Gordon swept home, but the linesman's flags immediately curtailed the Tyrone native's joy as the sides went to the break with the game firmly in the balance at 3-2.
There were plenty of chances for Cliftonville to extend their lead in the second period. Micheál Glynn shot over the bar and Joe Gormley shot wide and then Kevin Jordan threw himself in the path of a goal-bound effort.
The Reds made the game safe in the 79th minute when Glynn cut back and found half-time substitute Joe Sheridan to pick his spot low in the corner for his first senior career goal.
There was time for summer signing Conor Falls to break his duck before the evening was out, ensuring a straight-forward win at the conclusion and a place in the last eight draw.
CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, Leppard, Addis, Keaney, Pepper (Wilson 74’), Gordon (Hale 64’), McCay (Sheridan 46’), Glynn, Barr, Bermingham (Falls 64’), Gormley (Curran 81’).
STRABANE ATHLETIC: McDermott, O’Hagan, McMenamin, Burns (Sharkey 68’), Merritt (Crawford 54’), Duffy, Aduaka (Devine 68’), McGinley (McCarron 54’), Woods (Callaghan 54’), Porter, Jordan.
REFEREE: Mark Milligan
