Sixcessful progress

Cliftonville 6-0 Hanover

Cliftonville enjoyed comfortable passage to the Sixth Round of the Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup thanks to a 6-0 victory over Hanover at Solitude this afternoon.

Five to the good at half-time thanks Thomas Maguire’s opener, Aaron Donnelly’s first goal for the Club and conversions from Joe Gormley, Ronan Doherty and Ryan Curran, a youthful Reds line-up completed their victory when Maguire netted his second of the day shortly after the turnaround.

After going close on a number of occasions, the deadlock was broken when Calvin McCurry beat the visitors’ offside trap and unselfishly squared for Maguire to finish at the back post.

A bullet free-kick from Donnelly doubled Cliftonville’s advantage before Gormley scrambled home from close range after Curran had seen his effort blocked in a crowded goalmouth.

Doherty curled home a beauty of a finish to make it 4-0 and, with the interval looming, Curran got the goal his efforts deserved when he lashed home from just inside the box.

The goalfest looked set to continue when Maguire found the top corner early in the second-half but the Reds were unable to add to their tally on what proved an ultimately routine day at the office.

Cliftonville: Brush, McDermott, Harney (Ives, 46 mins), R Curran, Foster, Wilson, Doherty (Casey, 54 mins), Gormley (Rocks, 51 mins), Maguire, A Donnelly, McCurry. Unused subs: Dunne, Breen, Bagnall, McMenamin.