Fource of numbers

Not only was Cliftonville’s 4-0 triumph over Barry Town United the biggest European win in the Club’s history, the game also produced a number of other noteworthy statistics.

Prior to last night, the Reds’ previous best victory on the UEFA stage came when Differdange of Luxembourg were defeated 2-0 en route to a 3-1 aggregate scoreline in the 2016 Europa League – a result that was put in the shade as Paddy McLaughlin’s men ran riot at Solitude.

Each goal carried particular significance of its own, with Conor McMenamin – who was on target for Glentoran against MSK Zilina four years ago – becoming Cliftonville’s first ever Euro scorer to have also found the net for another Irish League side in Europe.

Joe Gormley’s sizzling finish to make it 2-0 was the 100th goal scored in European fixtures involving the Reds, while the second-half strikes from Conor McDermott and Rory Donnelly represented their first continental conversions.

At the other end of the park, meanwhile, Richard Brush’s clean sheet means he is just the second Cliftonville goalkeeper to complete both legs of a Euro tie without conceding a goal, following on from John Connolly’s heroics against HNK Cibalia in 2010.