NIFL Premiership
Cliftonville 5
Glenavon 2
CLIFTONVILLE moved into fifth place in the Sports Direct Premiership with a 5-2 win over bottom of the table Glenavon at Solitude on Saturday afternoon.
Eric McWoods early opener was cancelled out by a splendid Jack Malone goal and Glenavon then hit the front briefly when Bridel Bosakani’s volley dropped in, only for Joe Sheridan and Jonny Addis to reply in a frantic closing to the opening half.
Despite losing Odhran Casey to a second yellow-card early in the second period, a Jack Keaney brace wrapped up a straight forward victory at the conclusion, with Reds boss Jim Magilton believing an early injury killed the momentum they gained in the aftermath of the opener.
“In the end it was a good win,” Magilton reflected.
“We were talking about getting off to a good start, which we did. Then the injury and the delay in a way threw our momentum."
“You have to credit Glenavon. They’ve got players of quality and it was a poor goal from our point of view defensively, but two great finishes- the second one was an absolute worldie."
Rory Hale battles with Barry McKeown
"I just felt that we needed to increase the tempo and the quality in our play and we did that."
Magilton made two changes to the side that were held to a 2-2 draw at the Oval last weekend with Rory Hale and Ryan Curran returning after illness and Conor Falls dropping to the bench, with Conor Pepper out of the squad all together.
Cliftonville made a fast start and were ahead within three minutes, Harry Wilson fed the ball back to Jonny Addis who played a ball over the top that Eric McWoods raced onto and poked past the outrushing Mark Byrne - who collided with the striker with both requiring treatment before Byrne departed.
Paul McGovern saw a shot blocked by Jack Keaney and the danger was eventually cleared and at the other end a deflected Rory Hale shot flashed over the bar.
The visitors drew level just before the half hour mark, a long ball down the line from Harry Murphy found Jack Malone and with Reds keeper PJ Morrison coming out to close the angle, Malone lifted the ball over him and in off the post to make it 1-1.
Malone’s strike gave the Lurgan Blues confidence, Paul McGovern was unable to steer home Jordan McMullan’s dangerous cross but they did hit the front briefly in the 42nd minute.
Oran O’Kane’s free kick was partially headed clear and Bridel Bosakani’s volley from 25-yards dropped under the bar and in to make it 2-1.
Johnny Addis restored the Reds lead to 3-2
The lead was short-lived however as Cliftonville were level within 60-seconds, and it was a third goal in three games for youngster Joe Sheridan who went on a mazy run and his low shot squirmed underneath fellow youngster Sean Hamill in the Glenavon goal.
The drama didn’t end there as the Reds regained the lead in first half stoppage time. A fine passing move saw the ball worked to Jonny Addis on the edge of the box and his low shot found the corner of the net for his third league goal of the season to ensure his side held a slender 3-2 lead at the break.
Cliftonville were dealt a blow early in the second half when Odhran Casey was shown a second yellow-card in the 53rd minute for a challenge on Paul McGovern and referee Louise Thompson issued a red card under pressure from the Glenavon players.
Despite their numerical advantage, the league's basement outfit didn’t show enough pressure and it was Cliftonville who extended their lead in the latter stages of the contest.
17-year-old shot stopper Sean Hamill turned behind Eric McWoods shot and held onto a looping Shaun Leppard header from Rory Hale’s corner but was helpless as Jack Keaney guided Hale’s corner into the top corner to make it 4-2 in the 82nd minute.
Keaney doubled his account in the fifth minute of added time, curling a low free-kick around the wall and into the net for his fourth set-piece in all competitions this campaign to wrap up a convincing win in the end and move his side back into fifth place above Dungannon Swifts and just three points behind fourth placed Glentoran.
CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, Keaney, Addis, Casey, Lavery (Barr 63’), Wilson (Leppard 74’), Sheridan (Fapetu 63’), Hale (Tohill 88’), Hawthorne, McWoods, Curran (Falls 63’).
GLENAVON: Byrne (Hamill 9’), McMullan, Burns, Murphy, McKeown (Smyth 64’), Malone, O’Kane (McGerrigan 84’), McClelland, Bosakani, McGovern, Quinn (Wilson 84’).
REFEREE: Louise Thompson
