Monday Monthly: January

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 very busy January taking centre stage today.

The postponement of the St Stephen’s Day North Belfast Derby with Crusaders meant the Reds embarked upon their first fixture of the New Year refreshed following an unexpected festive break and that was evident in a performance that saw Glenavon beaten 2-0 at Mourneview Park, where a Levi Ives free-kick broke the deadlock ahead of Ryan Curran doubling the lead.

Having not tasted defeat inside 90 minutes at home all season long, Cliftonville found themselves nursing two disappointing Premiership reverses in a row when first the Crues claimed a comfortable 2-0 win in a snowbound rearranged tie before Glentoran recovered from the concession of a superb Jamie McDonagh strike to take all three points at Solitude.

In between times, Islandmagee were dispatched from the Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup courtesy of a Joe Gomley hat-trick and second-half finishes from Luke Turner and Aaron Donnelly.

A brave Curran header secured a vital victory over Larne at Inver Park as the Reds returned to winning ways in the League, but January would end in consecutive draws that saw late goals conceded on both occasions.

First, Linfield – who had trailed 1-0 and 2-1 thanks to eye-catching McDonagh strikes – rescued a last-gasp point at Solitude before Cliftonville were left stunned when Ballymena United bagged two goals out of nowhere in the closing stages at The Showgrounds.

McDonagh had followed up an outrageous volleyed opener with another fine individual effort to put the Reds in full command of proceedings, only for the Sky Blues to nick a late goal which turned into an even later point when a controversially-awarded penalty was converted.

It was no surprise to see supporters vote McDonagh as their Player of the Month as Cliftonville prepared to begin January with a double header of engagements at Carrick Rangers.

January 2022
Glenavon 0-2 Cliftonville
Ives, R Curran

Cliftonville 0-2 Crusaders

Cliftonville 5-0 Islandmagee
Gormley [3], Turner, Donnelly

Cliftonville 1-2 Glentoran
McDonagh

Larne 0-1 Cliftonville
R Curran

Cliftonville 2-2 Linfield
McDonagh [2]

Ballymena United 2-2 Cliftonville
McDonagh [2]