Gormley’s goalden ticket

Joe Gormley declared that he simply loves scoring goals after extending his Club record tally to 236 with a deadly double in Cliftonville’s incredible League Cup Final comeback against Coleraine yesterday.

Trailing 2-0 with 16 minutes left on the clock at Windsor Park, Gormley’s header gave the Reds hope before fellow substitute Paul O’Neill pounced to equalise in injury-time after Gormley had nodded against the crossbar.

O’Neill fired Cliftonville 3-2 up in extra-time and Gormley extended the advantage with a close-range finish and had another goal ruled out for offside before Curtis Allen reduced the arrears to 4-3 with a minute to play.

The 32-year-old, for whom this was a fourth League Cup crown, was typically keen to spread the credit elsewhere but acknowledged that he thrived on the task he was given when introduced from the bench.

“That’s my job, I’m a goal scorer,” was his cursory review.

“I thrive on scoring goals. This team just doesn’t know when it’s beaten.

“With the ability and the quality we have in our team, we know we’ll always get a chance – maybe two, maybe three.

“Do you know what, I just love scoring goals but it’s the boys in the team that give me the opportunity to do that, so I have to thank them.”

For a player not renowned for his aerial ability, Gormley certainly demonstrated a prowess in the air yesterday, following up his first goal with a header against the woodwork before having a hat-trick contender chalked off by the officials.

“I was a wee bit disappointed to have another header ruled out,” he added.

“For the first one, I see the defender’s sort of turned his back and I’m like ‘here, I’ve got a chance’ and I’ve just jumped and headed it – I’m not great at heading, so people say – but it’s just hit me and went in.

“I was just glad to get the goals and it was down to the team providing me with the chances.

“I want to start every game but I respect the decisions of the Manager and if he needs me to come on and score a goal, so be it.

“It’s all down to the team, the team’s outstanding. The mentality we’ve gathered the past few years is incredible; the work rate, the fitness for a part-time team is incredible and long may it continue.”