TOAL'S COUNTY ANTRIM SHIELD
Cliftonville 2
Crusaders 0
CLIFTONVILLE made it back-to-back wins in all competitions with a 2-0 win over North Belfast rivals Crusaders in the first round of the Toal’s County Antrim Shield at Solitude on Tuesday evening.
Scoreless at the break, the hosts made the breakthrough approaching the midway point in the second half when substitute Eric McWoods headed home at the back post and it was another substitute in Callum McCay who would stroke home and ensure progression with ten minutes to spare.
Jim Magilton will be happy his side have made it to the quarter-finals of the Co Antrim Shield
Reds boss Jim Magilton was pleased to have been able to rotate his squad and praised the adaptability of his side after changing shape due to an injury at half time,
“We had to get minutes into the players legs, and it was important,” Magilton reflected.
“In the first half Crusaders were very good. Obviously, people are getting used to each other. We thought we’d go with Brandon (Bermingham), Fallsy (Conor Falls) and Ryan Curran. Young Joe Sheridan has been so good that he deserved to start."
The Reds boss believe his side had to adapt to changes that Cliftonville were forced to make due to injuries throughout the game.
“Credit to Crusaders, I thought they were excellent and passed the ball really well. We readjusted things at half time because Darien (Wauchope) had to come off, he felt his thigh- so we gave Keevo (Keevan Hawthorne) a run- again another kid who has been excellent.
“We changed shape, again the adaptability within the group and we just felt we had to press a little bit higher and we did. We played with a bit more intensity, we created more opportunities and eventually we won the game."
Magilton made seven changes from his side's 3-1 win over Glenavon. On-loan deadline day signing Brandon Bermingham made his debut with Rory Hale and Joe Gormley amongst the notable absentees that were rested.
Crusaders manager Declan Caddell made eight alterations from Friday evening's 2-1 defeat at Shamrock Park but captain Jarlath O’Rourke, Ross Clarke and Stewart Nixon returned to the Shore Road side.
SUPER-SUBS: McWoods and McCay came off the bench to clinch the win
It was Cliftonville who started brightly as the sun began to fade, Brandon Bermingham cut inside and fired off target and a few minutes later Shea Gordon’s shot whistled wide from the edge of the box.
Stewart Nixon somehow failed to turn the ball into the gaping goal from an inviting Josh Williamson cross at the other end.
Chances were at a premium in the aftermath, Ross Clarke curled over from the corner of the box and on the stroke of half time a dangerous Clarke free-kick was over the wall- but straight at Lewis Ridd as it was goalless at the break.
The Reds again started the half brightly with Bermingham slipping in Conor Falls whose shot was parried by Musa Nigama in the Crusaders goal.
Ryan Curran then latched onto a ball over the top and Nigama stood tall and blocked at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.
The visitors first opportunity of the half fell to Lewis Barr- his shot from distance forced Lewis Ridd into action and a few minutes later a deflected shot whistled past the post and behind.
Jim Magilton made a treble change on the 65th minute and it paid instant dividends as his side hit the front.
Keevan Hawthorne clipped in a fantastic cross to the back post where Eric McWoods downward header found the net past Musa Nigama to make it 1-0.
They almost doubled their advantage when goalscorer McWoods raced onto a long ball from Conor Pepper, but his low cross was hacked clear by Odhran McCart ahead of Adebayo Fapetu.
The insurance goal would arrive for Cliftonville in the 80th minute. An attempted Crusaders clearance was blocked down and with his back to goal McWoods laid the ball off to Callum McCay to sweep the ball into the corner of the net past Nigama double their sides lead and ensure a place in the quarter-final draw.
CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Pepper, Leppard, Addis, Wauchope (Hawthorne 46), Gordon (Wilson 65), Casey, Sheridan (Fapetu 65), Curran, Falls (McWoods 65), Bermingham (McCay 73).
CRUSADERS: Nimaga, K Forsythe, McKechnie (Dunlop 34), J Forsythe (Weir 79), O’Rourke, Williamson (Anderson 69), Odhran McCart, Nixon (Bryden 69), Oliibhear McCart, Clarke (Brooks 69), Barr.
REFEREE: Ben McMaster
