Monday Monthly: February

With the start of the 2022/23 season just days away, 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 perfect February taking centre stage today.

The second round of the Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup handed the Reds a testing away day against Carrick Rangers and, played amid an absorbing atmosphere at the Loughview Leisure Arena, heavy rain and high winds made for an unpredictable contest.

Cliftonville saw an abundance of chances come and go – and also had a Ronan Doherty effort controversially but correctly ruled out when the officials eventually declared an offside infringement having initially awarded the goal – before the contest’s decisive moment was delivered by none other than Doherty (above), who scooped in from close range just as a goalmouth scramble was preparing to break out.

A few days later, the same venue played host to a Danske Bank Premiership encounter which, while spared the variable weather conditions, proved just as entertaining – with Doherty once again in the thick of the scoring action.

Having broken the deadlock with a well-taken first-half strike, he nodded Cliftonville back in front after Carrick had equalised, with substitute Joe Gormley blasting in a vital third that proved to be the winner in the aftermath of a bizarre Cricky Gallagher own goal reducing the deficit in the closing minutes.

The team’s first home engagement of the month saw Coleraine visit Solitude on League duty and, as has been the case back in August, two quickfire finishes early in the second period earned the hosts full points; Ryan Curran (below) doing the damage on both occasions to maintain the Reds’ winning streak.

Luke Turner (below) then plundered the only goal of an utterly dominant display against a Warrenpoint Town side whose goalkeeper, Steven McMullan, made a string of outrageous saves to keep the score down before Cliftonville played host to the third North Belfast Derby of the season.

Just a few weeks on from a home defeat to Crusaders, a powerful Jonny Addis header set the Reds on their way early on and, though the away side levelled courtesy of Josh Robinson in the aftermath of Declan Caddell being sent off, Cliftonville restored their advantage immediately when a quick Levi Ives’ throw-in caught the defence napping and Curran nipped in to make it 2-1 (below).

Ives added a third in the second-half and Gormley had a headed finish ruled out for offside as the Reds made it five wins from five ahead of supporters voting Gallagher their Player of the Month.

February 2022
Carrick Rangers 0-1 Cliftonville
Doherty

Carrick Rangers 2-3 Cliftonville
Doherty [2], Gormley

Cliftonville 2-0 Coleraine
R Curran [2]

Cliftonville 1-0 Warrenpoint Town
Turner

Cliftonville 3-1 Crusaders
Addis, R Curran, Ives