Monday Monthly: May

Less than a week ahead of Cliftonville’s Sports Direct Premiership opener, cliftonvillefc.net concludes a weekly mini-series reflecting on the good, the bad and the in-betweens of last term.

Every Monday ahead of the new domestic campaign getting under way, we’ve been taking a chronological look back on a month from the the 2024/25 schedule – with a mixed May taking today’s spotlight.

The Red Army turned out in their droves to see if Jim Magilton’s men could retain the Clearer Water Irish Cup in a Windsor Park showdown with Dungannon Swifts.

Despite a bright start to proceedings, Cliftonville fell behind when John McGovern nodded Rodney McAree’s men in front midway through the first-half. From there on, the Reds dominated possession but were unable to negotiate a route through a superbly marshalled Swifts defence, with even the dismissal of full-back Steven Scott failing to yield any notable advantage, until the deepest depths of injury-time when Shea Kearney lashed in a majestic equaliser.

Buoyed by that euphoria as a wave of relief swept across the packed North Stand and Kop, Cliftonville were afforded an additional 30 minutes to complete the job but the closest they came to scrambling a winner was when Eric McWoods’ point-blank strike was brilliantly clear off the line by Gael Bigirimana.

That ultimately took the contest to a penalty shootout, where Dungannon emerged victorious to land the trophy for the first time in history – and condemn the Reds to the European Play-Offs.

Just five days after that disappointment, Cliftonville somehow found it within themselves to rally to a wonderful performance against Glentoran at The Oval.

Despite having contested that marathon Cup Final the previous weekend, it was Magilton’s men who bossed proceedings in east Belfast, but it looked as though their energetic display was going to extend into yet another period of extra-time until Jack Keaney (below) broke the deadlock with a few minutes remaining; the defender’s alert approach to a quickly taken Rory Hale free-kick catching the home defence napping.

Not content with that single late goal, the Reds duly added another when McWoods raced clear to net via the upright and tee up a Play-Off Final duel with Coleraine at The Showgrounds.

With no team in Play-Off history having ever won two away games to book European qualification, the odds were stacked against Cliftonville but, again, they took control of proceedings from early on and were rewarded with Hale’s close-range finish to lead at half-time.

The dismissal of Bannsiders keeper Max Little for a foul on Joe Gormley strengthened the Reds’ grip on the game and their passports to the Conference League were stamped when Axel Piesold swept home to ensure a winning end to another rollercoaster of a season.

May 2025
Cliftonville 1-1 Dungannon Swifts (3-4 penalties)
Kearney

Glentoran 0-2 Cliftonville
Keaney, McWoods

Coleraine 0-2 Cliftonville
Hale, Piesold