Close call

Dungannon Swifts 0-1 Cliftonville

Joe Gormley’s close-range finish proved the difference as 10-man Cliftonville got the better of Dungannon Swifts in this evening’s Danske Bank Premiership encounter at Stangmore Park.

The only goal of the game arrived on 33 minutes when Paul O’Neill’s defence-splitting pass sent Jamie McDonagh scampering down the right and, when his cross was diverted towards his own goal by defender Dylan King, Gormley was there to make sure.

The Reds found themselves under increased pressure after the break and, though they had opportunities to extend their advantage, were forced to dig in for victory in the aftermath of McDonagh becoming the first Cliftonville player to be sent off this season; the winger dismissed by referee Evan Boyce for a rash challenge on Ryan Mayse.

Lining out with the starting XI that began the second-half of the weekend’s win at Glenavon, the Reds almost got off to the perfect start when Gormley beat goalkeeper Dwayne Nelson to a ball over the top from O’Neill but lifted his lob just wide of the post.

After Luke McNicholas had made a straightforward stop from Cathair Friel, Levi Ives twice went close at the other end; blazing over with alternate feet amid a congested penalty area.

Rhyss Campbell touched wide from a promising position before Nelson produced a double save to keep both Ryan Curran and then Gormley at bay, but it wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken when Gormley was perfectly placed to touch McDonagh’s deflected delivery home.

The second period began with Jonny Addis nodding just off target following a corner delivery and, after Mayse had headed straight at McNicholas, Cliftonville were reduced to 10 men when McDonagh’s tackle on Mayse earned a dismissal.

A man light, the visitors were grateful to keeper McNicholas for a string of vital saves in the next few minutes; Mayse and then Micheal Glynn repelled in one sequence and, from the subsequent corner, the Sligo Rovers loanee did well to punch the delivery clear and then got down to stop Cahal McGinty stroking in from close range.

Cliftonville had a glorious chance to double their lead when Ronan Doherty’s 86th minute corner fell for Colin Coates, whose header looked set to ripple the net only for Nelson to grasp the ball on the line.

King deflected a Ryan Curran blast wide and James Knowles drew a save from McNicholas as the contest developed into something of an end-to-end battle in the closing exchanges, but one goal proved enough to settle the issue as the Reds emerged with all three points.

Cliftonville: McNicholas, Ives, C Curran, R Curran, O’Neill (McDermott, 74 mins), McDonagh, Addis, Gormley (Doherty, 82 mins), Turner, C Gallagher, Coates. Unused subs: McKenna, Harney, Donnelly, M Gallagher, Kearns.