Europa Conference League First Qualifying Round - First Leg

St Joseph's FC 2-2 Cliftonville

Europa Park

CLIFTONVILLE were twice pegged back in their 2-2 draw with Gibraltar side St Joseph's FC at the Europa Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Ryan Curran headed the visitors ahead before the break but St Joseph's were awarded a penalty resulting in Jack Keaney being sent off for a shirt-pull inside the area early in the second half.

St Joseph's winger Alvaro Rey levelling the game from the spot after the Reds took a half-time lead.

It was mostly one-way traffic until Eric McWoods shot took a deflection and hit a hand which resulted in another penalty, with Jonny Addis dispatching to put the ten-men back in front.

It was a lead they were unable to maintain however as Rey headed home from a Leon Volz cross to ensure that St Joseph's would restore parity ahead of the second leg at Solitude next week.

Reds boss Jim Magilton was delighted with the result given the conditions and losing Keaney but insists his side must play better to advance.

“The conditions were extremely hot and given what happened in the game, to come away with a 2-2 draw was an outstanding result for us,” Magilton reflected.

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“Going down to ten men and maybe it was by the letter of the law. I still haven't spoken to the referee or the fourth official. 

“It was a monumental effort and the players deserve immense credit. I can’t easily describe the conditions, it was scorching and it was really tough on them but I thought the character and resilience shone through.

The Reds boss believes there is an opportunity next week for the North Belfast club to advance to the next round which is a hurdle they could not overcome at the same stage last season.

“We’ve got an opportunity now next Thursday at Solitude where we’ve given ourselves a great chance. Both sides have seen each other. We’re well aware of their strengths and we have to go again. We actually have to play better but our structure and our discipline was outstanding."

St Josephs had the majority of the ball in the opening quarter of an hour without causing too much of a threat to Lewis Ridd- who collected a Jolley clipped cross with ease in the early stages.

Luke Conlon put an inviting cross into the area and Rory Hale was unable to keep the shot down, skewing wide of the target.

The hosts almost took the lead when Álvero Rey intercepted a slack pass from Pepper and jinked into a shooting position, but Ridd parried his attempt from the edge of the box.

Armental then weaved his way into the area and curled a shot inches past the post and a succession of corners came to nothing as the Reds got to a water break midway through the half with the game scoreless.

The Solitude side could have taken the lead after a neat build-up saw the ball fall to Ryan Curran though he was unable to keep his footing allowing for the St Joseph's defence to clear their lines.

Cliftonville were growing in confidence and were inches away from taking the lead when Joseph's goalkeeper Banda came to the edge of his area and headed the loose ball away ahead of Joe Gormley with Ryan Curran’s lobbed follow-up scaling the bar.

It was a warning shot the hosts wouldn’t heed as Cliftonville took the lead on the 37th minute.

Gormley was tripped outside the area and Rory Hale’s delivery was glanced home by Ryan Curran at the back post to give Jim Magilton’s side the lead.

St Joseph’s piled on the pressure in first half injury time with Jack Keaney throwing himself in the path of a Facu effort and a free-kick on the edge of the box from Geovanni being charged down by the wall as Curran’s goal proved the difference at the interval.

Jolley hooked an early effort wide for St Joseph's at the beginning of the second half. Alvero Rey’s cross then evaded Facu but after play was recycled and Rey sent a cross into the box Jack Keaney was spotted dragging a player back and St Josephs were awarded a penalty and Keaney was shown a red card by referee Daniel Hilgraff.

Rey seized responsibility and coolly dispatched from the spot to make it 1-1 and it looked to be an uphill task for the Reds with a man light for over half an hour.

Alvero Rey netted a brace for his side to peg the Reds back twice
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Alvero Rey netted a brace for his side to peg the Reds back twice

St Joseph's should have hit the front on the hour mark when Javi Paul’s header crashed off the underside of the bar and out.

Alvero sliced a shot wide and on the 71st minute a rasping Juan Perez shot crashed off the post and substitute Angel Montesinos follow-up was narrowly over.

The pressure was unrelenting as another substitute Javi Jorján’s near post header landed on the roof of the net.

Despite St Joseph’s carrying the threat Cliftonville had the chance to regain the lead on the 78th minute when Eric McWoods cross hit a hand and referee Hilgraff pointed to the spot for the second time.

Jonny Addis was tasked with converting and he made no mistake as Cliftonville dared to dream of victory for a second time.

Lewis Ridd kept out Alvero Rey’s free-kick a few minutes later before St Joseph's hit back for the second time.

Angel Montesinos shot was spilled by Ridd and after play was recycled Leon Volz cross was cushioned home by the head of Rey to make it 2-2.

The hosts pushed for a winner in the remaining minutes with Geovanni dragging a shot wide and substitute Hassan Amadou volleying past the post as it ended all square on the Rock ahead of the second leg at Solitude next Thursday.

ST JOSEPH'S FC: B Banda, E Jolley (Volz 82’), F Paul, G Cardozo (Jesslen 68’), G Barba, G Barba, F Alvarez (A Martinez 60’), Manolín, J Gonzáles (Amadou 82’), F Alvarez, Á Rey, P Moreno (Forjan 68’).

CLIFTONVILLE: L Ridd, O Casey, J Addis, J Keaney, S Kearney, C Pepper, H Wilson (Gordon 32’), R Hale (S Stewart 72’), L Conlon, R Curran (Corrigan 73’), J Gormley (M McWoods 58’).  

REFEREE: Daniel Hilgraff (Norway)