Another tough spot

Cliftonville 1-1 Linfield [4-5 on penalties]

For the second season in a row, Cliftonville’s County Antrim Shield journey ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Linfield at Solitude.

As was the case last year, the contest finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with the Blues going on to seal progress from the spot.

Linfield had taken an early lead through a sensational strike from Andrew Clarke but Joe Gormley’s leveller restored parity before the break and, though both sides had chances to win it after the break, the respective goalkeepers proved their worth to send the tie to penalties.

Robbie McDaid and Ronan Hale converted to kick things off at the Bowling Green End before Kirk Millar and Jamie McDonagh netted for 2-2.

Fynn Talley’s save from Cameron Palmer allowed Ryan Curran to put Cliftonville in front but, after Kyle McClean scored for the visitors, Gormley was denied by David Walsh to level things up again.

Joel Cooper and the impressive Sean Moore made it 4-4 ahead of Ethan Devine putting the Blues into a lead they would hold courtesy of Luke Turner lifting his kick over the top in the final act of an eventful night.

The contest got off to an explosive start when Clarke found the top corner from distance and the Reds went close to an immediate equaliser when Moore and Hale combined to feed Gormley, whose effort was repelled by Walsh.

On 12 minutes, Jamie McDonagh’s cross was met by Hale in the middle but he was unable to angle his header goalward before the first flashpoint of the night saw Linfield’s Conor Pepper booked for timewasting when the Reds were attempting to take a throw-in.

Following a minor scuffle, calm was restored and the throw was eventually taken with the ball lifted forward for Gormley to calmly dink over the goalkeeper to equalise.

Cliftonville dominated the remainder of the half with Kris Lowe and McDonagh off target either side of Hale twice threatening; the second when he had done well to intercept a backpass only for Walsh to recover and gather the forward’s attempted cross into the middle.

The second period began with Clarke drawing a save from Talley and Pepper deflecting a Hale strike just wide ahead of the same player being denied by a one-handed stop from Walsh.

Eetu Vertainen should have put the visitors in front when he nodded wide from a Kirk Millar delivery on the hour and, just six minutes later, Ronan Doherty’s pass sent Hale scampering in behind but the angle worked against him and he was only able to lift his effort on to the roof of the net.

Talley then did superbly to stop Millar’s free-kick from sneaking into the bottom corner before Devine sent a half-volley wide during an entertaining final quarter of an hour that also saw a Gormley header brilliantly saved by Walsh and an effort from McDonagh that dipped just over.

With neither side able to fashion a winner, the contest was settled from the spot as Cliftonville suffered penalty pain for the second year in a row.

Cliftonville: Talley, C Curran (R Curran, 78 mins), Rory Hale (Doherty, 63 mins), McDonagh, Lowe, Robinson (Addis, 90 mins), Gormley, Casey, Turner, Ronan Hale, Moore. Unused subs: Gartside, Gallagher, Storey, McGuinness.