Monday Monthly: December

As Cliftonville’s preparations for the 2022/23 season continue, cliftonvillefc.net continues a weekly mini-series reflecting on the good, the bad and the in-betweens of last term.

Every Monday between now and the new domestic campaign getting under way, we’re taking a chronological look back on a month from the the year just finished – with a low key December taking centre stage today.

Finding themselves without a win in three games, victory by any means necessary was the Reds’ ambition when Ballymena United visited Solitude on Danske Bank Premiership duty and that’s exactly what they achieved when Ryan Curran reacted quickest to scramble home the only goal of the game midway through the second-half of a cagey encounter.

A Curran strike also looked set to book Cliftonville’s place in the County Antrim Shield Final a few days later, only for Linfield to equalise deep into injury-time and send the tie to what proved an utterly bizarre penalty shootout.

Curran and Chris Shields exchanged finishes to make it 1-1 after one effort each and Chris Curran looked to have put the Reds in front before referee Evan Boyce and his officiating team were persuaded that the skipper had sent his shot against his standing foot.

After a lengthy hold-up, the penalty was ruled out ahead of Jordan Stewart blazing his own attempt over the bar.

Cricky Gallagher then dragged wide via the post and, after Martin Donnelly put Linfield in front, Levi Ives slipped before seeing his kick kept out by David Walsh.

Luke McNicholas kept Cliftonville in it when he saved from Ahmed Salam but Walsh’s stop to deny Paul O’Neill sent the visitors through to meet Larne in the decider.

There was further frustration the following weekend when, despite bombarding Portadown’s goal in the aftermath of the home side taking the lead at Shamrock Park, the Reds were forced to settle for a point courtesy of an O’Neill header, with the same player seeing what looked to be an injury-time winner ruled out for offside.

Having struggled to replicate the rhythm that had been a hallmark of their season to date, it was perhaps with an element of surprise that Cliftonville swept Ballymena aside when the teams locked horns in the League Cup Final.

Curran’s first-half double put Paddy McLaughlin’s side in control, with a fierce Joe Gormley blast shortly after the interval putting the seal on an emphatic success that got the team back to winning ways.

That formed was maintained when Carrick Rangers visited Solitude the following weekend; O’Neill and Ryan Curran on target in a 2-0 success that turned out to be the Club’s final outing of 2022 owing to the controversial 11th hour postponement of the festive North Belfast Derby with Crusaders.

Ryan Curran’s five goals in as many appearances saw supporters vote him their Player of the Month as Cliftonville prepared to begin the New Year with a testing trip to tackle Glenavon.

December 2021
Cliftonville 1-0 Ballymena United
R Curran

Cliftonville 1-1 Linfield [1-2 on penalties]
R Curran

Portadown 1-1 Cliftonville
O’Neill

Cliftonville 3-0 Ballymena United
R Curran [2], Gormley

Cliftonville 2-0 Carrick Rangers
O’Neill, R Curran