Déjà Lough-vu for Doherty

Carrick Rangers 2-3 Cliftonville

For the second time this week, Ronan Doherty was among the goals as Cliftonville overcame Carrick Rangers at the Loughview Leisure Arena.

After bagging the only strike of Saturday’s Irish Cup second round tie, Doherty netted a double tonight to help the Reds to three Danske Bank Premiership points which were ultimately sealed by a fierce finish from substitute Joe Gormley.

Mark Surgenor had headed Carrick level early in the second-half, with a late Cricky Gallagher own goal setting up a nervy finale as Cliftonville held on for another battling victory over Stuart King’s side.

The first half-chance of the night went the visitors’ way when Paul O’Neill did well to eek out some space on the flank and send in a cross which fell Doherty’s way but he was unable to make a telling connection on his attempted shot from the edge of the box.

He made no mistake when the same two players linked up soon later, though, with his right-footed finish giving Cliftonville the lead.

After Conor McDermott tried his luck from distance, it was almost 2-0 when Jamie McDonagh seized on a pass from Jonny Addis but, while his touch got the better of outrushing goalkeeper Aaron Hogg, Surgenor was well placed to clear off the line with O’Neill lurking.

Carrick equalised shortly after the turnaround when Surgenor raced on to Matthew Carson’s corner delivery to power a header past Luke McNicholas, but parity lasted just 13 minutes before a short corner routine ended with Levi Ives’ delivery being nodded over a busy goal-line by the unmarked Doherty.

Good advantage from referee Tony Clarke paved the way for the Reds to extend their advantage 14 minutes from time, with play continuing despite a foul on Doherty ahead of Ives crossing for Ryan Curran, whose shot was repelled by Hogg only for Gormley to follow up to blast home.

The Gers pulled one back five minutes from time when Reece Glendinning’s corner struck Gallagher on the back of the neck and looped into the net – and there was still time for a scare when an overhead kick drifted across the face of goal and wide.

Cliftonville: McNicholas, McDermott (C Curran, 63 mins), Ives, R Curran, O’Neill (Gormley, 63 mins), McDonagh, Lowe, Addis, Doherty, Gallagher, Coates. Unused subs: McKenna, Hale, Donnelly, Turner, Kearns.