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Management role

Paddy McLaughlin had praise for Cliftonville’s game management, the travelling support and matchwinner Joe Gormley in the aftermath of last night’s Danske Bank Premiership victory over Dungannon Swifts.

The Reds emerged from Stangmore Park with full points courtesy of Gormley’s first-half finish, but found themselves living dangerously as the evening wore on, especially in the aftermath of Jamie McDonagh’s dismissal for a foul on Ryan Mayse.

McLaughlin noted the difficulty of the task against a clearly motivated Swifts outfit but wasp pleased with how his men saw things out.

“It’s good to get three points, good to get a clean sheet and good to get out of here,” was the Manager’s immediate reaction.

“The supporters were here in their numbers again and they gave us that extra bit of motivation we might have needed. We probably needed it in the last five or 10 minutes to see out the job. I think the boys managed the game really well late on; Ronan Doherty and Ryan Curran were excellent in the latter stages in how they nullified any threat Dungannon would have thrown at us.”

Gormley’s 20th goal of the season – a close-range finish after a McDonagh cross had been deflected into his path by Dylan King – ultimately settled the issue, and McLaughlin toasted the impact of the Club’s all-time leading scorer, who has netted five times in his last five appearances.

“For a man who’s been written off so many times, he just keeps embarrassing people,” he added.

“He keeps coming back and doing the business. Joe does what Joe does. Give him a chance and he scores goals and the good thing for us is he’s hitting top form at the right time of year for us  – what a time for him to come back into the team and score goals.

“He keeps his head down, he doesn’t get too flustered by nonsense outside when people doubt him and he doesn’t get too disappointed when he misses out. He’s sitting raring to go for his team whenever called upon and every time he’s called upon, whether it be off the bench or starting games, he produces the goods. What a phenomenal player and what a phenomenal talent, we’re blessed to have him.”

On McDonagh becoming the first Cliftonville player to be sent off since May 2021, the boss concluded: “Jamie’s been brilliant for us and has been one of the top players in the division all season. He’s disappointed, it was just a rash moment and it’s cost him a red card but it opens up the door for somebody else.

“There’s two or three boys now probably rubbing their hands together thinking it’s their time to shine now and once they get the nod, it’s up to them to do the business and Jamie might have a fight on his hands getting back into the team.”