Cliftonville slipped to an unfortunate defeat in today’s Boyle Sports Premiership clash with Coleraine.
Despite a promising start, the Reds fell behind to Matthew Shevlin’s 13th minute strike but could have been level almost immediately only for Brian Healy’s swirling long-range attempt to cannon back off the post.
Healy also called home keeper Lewis Web into action during a first-half that saw the visitors threaten courtesy of a number of corner deliveries from Dean McMaster, who was inches away from levelling with a wonderful volleyed effort after the break.
Amid high winds that saw a PJ Morrison kick out drop just inches over the Coleraine crossbar, McMaster’s clever free-kick drew a save from the alert Webb, who also turned a blistering Rory Hale drive over the top ahead of Shaun Leppard clipping the woodwork from the resulting corner.
Cliftonville: Morrison, Samuels (Conlan, 63 mins), Wilson (Murray, 84 mins), Campbell (Sheridan, 70 mins), Hale, Healy (Gormley, 84 mins), Leppard, McClelland, McMaster, Quinn (McStravick, 63 mins), Bannon. Unused subs: Cremen-Cowan, O’Connor.