Captain the moment

Joe Gormley has spoken of his pride at captaining Cliftonville to the first silverware of his second spell with the Club.

The prolific striker, for whom the 2011 County Antrim Shield kicked off a sequence that delivered two Danske Bank Premiership titles and three League Cup crowns prior to his move to Peterborough United, wore the armband in Chris Curran’s absence as Paddy McLaughlin’s side staged a dramatic late turnaround to get the better of Ballymena United and lift the Shield at Windsor Park last night.

“For me, a local boy from Ardoyne, to captain the Club I love to a trophy win is just unreal,” said the 30-year-old.

“I’m getting on a bit myself but this squad is young and is capable of going on and doing a lot of things.

“We never know when we are beaten. Hopefully that will now be the start of a lot of success for Cliftonville.

“We have a never-say-day attitude and want to try and win everything we are involved in. The fighting spirit amongst this group of players in unbelievable.

“Paddy has been super with us and, with this squad of players, you never know what could happen. We will keep working hard and see where it takes us.”