Hen Ron

Dundela 0-5 Cliftonville

Ronan Hale plundered a hat-trick in Cliftonville’s five-star victory over Dundela in this evening’s Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup fifth round tie.

Sean Moore squeezed the Reds in front on 25 minutes before Hale volleyed in to complete an eye-catching move a few minutes later.

Joe Gormley’s penalty early in the second-half put Cliftonville in firm command ahead of Hale adding another two goals to claim the matchball.

Amid a cautious start from the visitors to the Hen Run, Gormley dragged the first effort of the night wide on four minutes before Ronan Hale and Levi Ives sent attempts over the top.

Rory Hale was next to try his luck only to see two quickfire shots charged down before drawing a save from Dundela’s debutant goalkeeper Sam Johnston, who was beaten soon later when Moore controlled a ball over the top from Chris Gallagher and made a beeline for goal, with his low effort sneaking over the line ahead of Sam Dinu’s attempted intervention.

It wasn’t long before Cliftonville’s advantage was doubled when Ronan Hale expertly controlled Jonny Addis’ forward pass and, after being teed up by Chris Curran, spun to blast an effort beyond Johnston.

Andy Hall screwed a good chance wide for the hosts in the closing minutes of the first-half, while the second period had only just ticked into life when Tony Kane’s foul on Moore earned a spot-kick that Gormley dispatched with confidence.

Johnson made a fine save to prevent Chris Curran getting his name on the scoresheet and, though the keeper also got down well to deny Gormley, he was powerless to stop Hale converting the rebound to make it 4-0.

Curran was kept at bay again by a fingertip stop and, after Luke Turner had found no takers for a teasing ball across the face of goal, Hale completed his hat-trick when he tapped in following Colin Coates’ nod down from a Jamie McDonagh corner.

Sean Moore flashed a delivery virtually across the goal-line and Johnston saved from Odhran Casey as the Reds finished strongly with their place in the sixth round long since secured.

Cliftonville: Gartside, Ives (Coates, 46 mins), Addis (Robinson, 68 mins), Gallagher (Casey, 63 mins), C Curran, Rory Hale, Lowe, Gormley (McDonagh, 63 mins), Turner, Ronan Hale, Moore. Unused subs: G Doherty, R Curran, R Doherty.