Curran’s at the double

Coleraine 2-2 Cliftonville

Ryan Curran netted twice as Cliftonville recovered from the concession of a lead to hit back for a point against Coleraine this evening.

After an evenly contested first-half at The Showgrounds, the Reds took a 66th minute lead when a wonderful pass from Axel Piesold found Curran in a dangerous area and the striker showed good composure to weigh up his options before clipping a strike beyond goalkeeper Rory Brown.

Within 16 minutes, however, Cliftonville found themselves behind. Having limited the Bannsiders to very little throughout the game, it was an Odhran Casey foul that led to the penalty kick that Matthew Shevlin netted to level matters.

More careless defending paved the way for Shevlin to put the Bannsiders ahead eight minutes from time, but the Reds rallied to earn a spot kick of their own when Gormley was felled by Brown and Curran stepped up to convert.

There was still time for the Reds to claim what would have been a deserved late winner, with Gormley twice going close – firstly with a free-kick that whistled just over before seeing a shot from a narrow angle blocked – as Coleraine held on for a share of the spoils.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper, Stewart, Addis, Curran, Conlan, Piesold, Gormley, Casey, Keaney, Parsons (Hale, 73 mins). Unused subs: Odumosu, Pettifer, Glynn, Wilson, McWoods, Corrigan.