Double take

Cliftonville 4-1 Drogheda United

Conor McMenamin and Calvin McCurry each netted twice as Cliftonville claimed their first victory over Drogheda United in 33 years.

Goalless at the interval, today’s friendly sprang into life early in the second period with McMenamin netting either side of a stunning McCurry finish and, though substitute Jordan Adeyemo pulled one back for the visitors, McCurry would have the final say when he made it 4-1 late on.

The only real opening of a low-key first 45 minutes came when Mark Doyle’s powerful blast was superbly kept out by Reds keeper Declan Dunne, however the second-half was barely 60 seconds old by the time Michael McCrudden and Thomas Maguire had teamed up to provide the chance for McMenamin, whose effort found the net via a nick off Hugh Douglas.

It was 2-0 on 52 minutes when Maguire whipped in a cross which McCurry met with an outrageous overhead kick that flashed past goalkeeper Ross Treacy and it wasn’t long until the third arrived; McMenamin providing the assertive finish after McCrudden’s cross had caused panic in the Drogs’ penalty area.

United pulled one back seven minutes from time thanks to Adeyemo launching himself at a delivery into the area, but it was the hosts who would complete the scoring on 86 minutes when Dylan Snoddon fed McCurry, whose inch-perfect dink over the keeper crept in at the far post.

Cliftonville: Dunne, McDermott, Foster, Wilson, McCrudden, Maguire, Donnelly, Casey, Rocks, McCurry, McKiernan. Subs: R Curran (McCrudden, 67 mins), Bagnall (Rocks, 67 mins), Doherty (Wilson, 67 mins), Anderson (McDermott, 53 mins), McMenamin (McKiernan, 36 mins), McGuinness (Donnelly, 59 mins), Snoddon (Foster, 61 mins)