Last Time Out

RYAN Curran’s second-half double would do the damage as the Bannsiders left Solitude empty handed last month…

Date:

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Result:

Cliftonville 2-0 Coleraine

Goals – Curran (’48 & ’53 mins)

Report: 

COLERAINE would be punished for a slow start to the second-half as they were beaten by Cliftonville at Solitude.

It would be the hosts who would make all the early running as they threatened on two occasions before the 20 minute mark as Jamie McDonagh’s strike from distance was clawed out by Gareth Deane, before the ‘keeper would once again deny the winger who had a sight of goal.

The Bannsiders would go close at the other end on 24 minutes as a neat passage of play released the ball to Josh Carson on the left-hand side. The Antrim man – who was going for his third goal is as many games – would be thwarted by an outstretched save by Luke McNicholas

Just after the half hour mark, the Reds thought they had edged in front as the lively McDonagh would have an effort parried by Deane, with Daniel Kearns unable to steer the rebound home from a tight angle.

In a pulsating end to the first-half, Coleraine would threaten as Lyndon Kane’s strike from the edge of the box went straight down the throat of McNicholas, before Cliftonville would fail to find the target from the resulting piece of play as Ronan Doherty hooked over from Levi Ives’ cut back.

However, Cliftonville did draw first blood on 48 minutes as McDonagh fed Kris Lowe on the right-hand-side. The versatile defender would send a cross into the box that was met by the instinctive Ryan Curran who had a simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net.

Kearney’s men went in search for an instant equaliser and went agonisingly close just two minutes later as a dangerous cross by Jamie Glackin met Conor McKendry at the back post but the winger couldn’t convert.

That missed chance would be further compounded on 52 minutes as Cliftonville doubled their lead. An overload on the left-hand side saw Doherty have the vision to pick out Curran and he lashed home his second of the afternoon. Paddy McLaughlin’s side nearly put the game to bed moments later as Curran was denied a hat-trick by Deane, with McDonagh sending a long range effort over the crossbar.

The Stripes brought on James McLaughlin and Curtis Allen in a bid to get back into the contest and they were a lick of paint away from halving the deficit. A cross into the box by Glackin met the onrushing Stephen Lowry and his skimmed header hit the post as Cliftonville cleared their lines.

Cliftonville would end the fixture strongly and McDonagh almost stole the show as his audacious lob clipped the crossbar, before Deane thwarted Joe Gormley who was clean through on goal.

A disappointing afternoon for Coleraine who now turn their focus to back-to-back assignments against Warrenpoint Town.

Line-ups:

CLIFTONVILLE: McNicholas, Ives, Hale (Gormley ’53 mins), R. Curran, McDonagh (O’Neill ’88 mins), Lowe, Addis, Doherty, Turner, Gallagher, Kearns (C. Curran ’72 mins).

Subs Not Used: McKenna (GK), McDermott, Donnelly, Coates.

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, Brown, Jarvis (Allen ’63 mins), McKendry, Lowry, Carson, O’Donnell, Glackin, Traynor (Bradley ’78 mins), Shevlin (McLaughlin ’63 mins).

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Wilson, Mitchell, Kelly.

Referee:

Keith Kennedy