Seven year rich

Last night’s 1-0 victory over Carrick Rangers saw Cliftonville extend a remarkable League Cup run that has seen them avoid regulation time defeat in the competition for approaching seven years.

Not since a 2-0 Quarter Final loss at the hands of Glentoran on Sunday, December 5, 2010 have the Reds – who won the trophy for a record-breaking four consecutive seasons between 2013-2016 – been beaten in 90 minutes in the competition.

In that period, Cliftonville have played 30 League Cup fixtures and won 25 times in addition to two penalty shoot-out successes and one Extra-Time triumph, with our only two defeats – against Coleraine and Glenavon – also coming in Extra Time, while the team clocked up a Club Record 11-1 victory over Lisburn Distillery in last season’s Second Round.

Rory Donnelly’s strike at The Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena was, meanwhile, the Reds’ 106th during a sequence that has seen just 22 goals conceded, with none having been shipped either this season or during our surge to glory in 2014.

Manager Barry Gray, whose Warrenpoint Town side took Cliftonville to Extra Time in a December 2015 Semi Final contest at Milltown, will be hoping to preserve that impressive statistic in next month’s last four clash, the draw for which will be made on Saturday evening.

Cliftonville’s League Cup run
Last defeat in 90 minutes: Cliftonville 0-2 Glentoran (December 5, 2010)
Record since then: P30 W25 D5 L0 F106 A22

2011/12
Second Round: Cliftonville 3-1 Ards
Third Round: Cliftonville 5-0 Dungannon Swifts
Quarter Final: Glenavon 1-2 Cliftonville
Semi Final: Cliftonville 1-2 Coleraine (After Extra Time)

2012/13
Second Round: Cliftonville 4-1 Tobermore United
Third Round: Cliftonville 5-0 Ballinamallard United
Quarter Final: Cliftonville 3-1 Portadown
Semi Final: Cliftonville 3-0 Glenavon
Final: Cliftonville 4-0 Crusaders

2013/14
Second Round: Cliftonville 3-0 H&W Welders
Third Round: Cliftonville 5-0 Dundela
Quarter Final: Cliftonville 4-0 Bangor
Semi Final: Ards 0-2 Cliftonville
Final: Cliftonville 0-0 Crusaders (After Extra Time, 3-2 on penalties)

2014/15
Second Round: Cliftonville 6-0 Wakehurst
Third Round: Cliftonville 4-1 Carrick Rangers
Quarter Final: Cliftonville 2-0 Portadown
Semi Final: Cliftonville 4-3 Bangor
Final: Ballymena United 2-3 Cliftonville

2015/16
Second Round: Cliftonville 2-1 Dundela
Third Round: Dungannon Swifts 3-3 Cliftonville (After Extra Time, 4-5 on penalties)
Quarter Final: Cliftonville 3-2 Glentoran
Semi Final: Warrenpoint Town 0-1 Cliftonville (After Extra Time)
Final: Cliftonville 3-0 Ards

2016/17
Second Round: Cliftonville 11-1 Lisburn Distillery
Third Round: Annagh United 0-6 Cliftonville
Quarter Final: Glenavon 3-2 Cliftonville (After Extra Time)

2017/18
Second Round: Cliftonville 4-0 Banbridge Town
Third Round: Cliftonville 7-0 PSNI
Quarter Final: Carrick Rangers 0-1 Cliftonville