Monday Monthly: December

With pre-season training now in full swing, cliftonvillefc.net today continues a weekly mini-series reflecting on the good, the bad and the in-betweens of the 2025/26 campaign.

Every Monday between now and the new domestic term getting under way, we’ll take a chronological look back on a month from the the term just finished – with December taking centre stage today.

A BetMcLean Cup quarter-final battle with Glentoran represented the first of two visits to The Oval within a matter of days but, despite offering some late promise, the Reds’ midweek Cup quest fell foul of what was to prove a familiar hurdle.

Eric McWoods’ extra-time opener (above) looked set to send the holders through to the last four only for the Glens to respond with a swift leveller that sent the tie to penalties where, as would become par for the course as the season unfolded, Cliftonville came out on the losing side.

A Sports Direct Premiership engagement at the same venue saw the Reds race into a 2-0 half-time lead courtesy of finishes from Tom Lavery (below) and Joe Sheridan but, again, Glentoran hit back with two second-half strikes to claim a share of the spoils.

Cliftonville put those frustrations behind them the following week in an end-to-end battle with Glenavon at Solitude.

After McWoods had made the early breakthrough, the hosts were stunned to find themselves behind when the Lurgan Blues turned the tie on its head, only for the Reds to quickly do likewise; Sheridan and Jonny Addis making it 3-2 before the break.

The dismissal of Odhran Casey early in the second-half threatened Cliftonville’s hopes of claiming all three points only for a late double from Jack Keaney (above) to rubberstamp a 5-2 success.

A few days before Christmas, Jim Magilton’s side visited Bangor and celebrated a milestone moment when Ryan Curran netted from the penalty spot to claim his 100th goal for the Club and, in the aftermath of the Seasiders drawing level, the Reds were unable to make their dominance count towards anything other than being rewarded with a solitary point for their efforts.

There was further disappointment next time out when a below par display allowed Crusaders to claim a festive North Belfast Derby success – Casey on target with a late consolation – before the curtain came down on 2025 with a goalless draw with Larne at Inver Park.

December 2025
Glentoran 1-1 Cliftonville [4-5 on penalties]
McWoods

Glentoran 2-2 Cliftonville
Lavery, Sheridan

Cliftonville 5-2 Glenavon
McWoods, Sheridan, Addis, Keaney [2]

Bangor 1-1 Cliftonville
Curran

Cliftonville 1-2 Crusaders
Casey

Larne 0-0 Cliftonville

Player of the Month: Odhran Casey
Goal of the Month: Jack Keaney v Glenavon