Fare play

It has long been said that Cliftonville Irish Cup celebrations would spark a party like no other and that has certainly rung true across this Bank Holiday weekend.

After soaking in the achievement in the company of supporters at Solitude on both Saturday and Sunday, the Reds took the trophy on a whistle-stop tour across Belfast today, with fans turning out in their numbers to join the festivities at various stop-off points.

After departing Solitude early in the afternoon, birthday boy Jim Magilton and his team visited Cassidy’s Bar before moving on to the Market Community Centre.

With supporters young and old lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the silverware, the team bus moved on to the Rose & Crown Bar on the Ormeau Road before calling into both The Devenish and Rock Bar ahead of returning to the north of the city courtesy of a trip to The Glenpark and then on to Solitude.

The day provided countless opportunities for individual members of the Red Army to personally relay just how much Irish Cup success means to them, with the Manager, players and backroom staff rightly lauded for their historic achievement in commencing a party some 45 years in the making.