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What a Curranaround!

Cliftonville 2-1 Glenavon

Ryan Curran’s quickfire double turned today’s Danske Bank Premiership clash with Glenavon on its head and maintained the Reds’ perfect home record this season.

Trailing to a Joshua Doyle goal in the opening minutes of the second-half, the hosts’ huffing and puffing looked set to go unrewarded until Curran turned home a low drive from namesake Chris with 10 minutes left on the clock.

No sooner had the Red Army recaptured their breath than they were back on their feet to salute a stunning winner; both Currans again combining with Ryan lashing an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

The Lurgan Blues would finish the contest with 10 men when Matthew Snoddy was dismissed for his protests in the aftermath of the visitors having an injury-time effort ruled out for offside.

Cliftonville’s day got off to a difficult start when, having been awarded a goal-kick straight from kick-off, they spent the opening 15 minutes struggling to find any rhythm amid Glenavon’s high press. Opportunities were few and far between, although Joe Gormley did have an effort ruled out for offside.

Having shaded the first-half, the visitors were rewarded shortly after the turnaround when an error from Declan Dunne saw Doyle presented with the ball just inside the box and he made no mistake in slotting past the keeper to break the deadlock.

Ryan Curran then became the second Cliftonville player of the day to have a goal chalked off when the officials spotted an apparent foul in the build-up, while good pressure from Aaron Donnelly prevented Matthew Fitzpatrick converting from point-blank range at the other end.

Another Gormley strike was then disallowed and the away side were fortunate to only have Sean Ward yellow carded for a clear handball as Gormley charged towards goal before the Reds finally got their leveller when Chris Curran’s low cross was expertly touched past James Taylor by Ryan.

Within a minute, Cliftonville were ahead. Daniel Kearns played Chris Curran into possession and, when he lifted a pass over the Glenavon defence, Ryan took one touch to kill the ball before blasting an unstoppable drive into the top corner.

That wasn’t the end of the drama, however, as the Lurgan Blues saw a late, late goal of their own ruled out by the officias. Danny Wallace chested down in the box and, with Mark Stafford closing in, Donnelly’s touch took the ball past Dunne, only for an offside flag to eventually halt celebrations at the Bowling Green End – the upshot of which was a red card for Snoddy following a confrontation with the referee.

Cliftonville: Dunne, Hale (O’Neill, 72 mins), R Curran, McDonagh (Kearns, 80 mins), Lowe, Donnelly, Addis, Doherty, Gormley, Turner, Gallagher (C Curran, 65 mins). Unused subs: McNicholas, Harney, Foster, Coates.