Matchday Perspectives: Shield success

Introducing the fourth installment of brand new feature to cliftonvillefc.net, our Matchday Perspectives programme catalogues Cliftonville’s home games through the eyes of supporter Sean McKinney from his vantage point in the Disabled Section of the McAlery Stand.

Covering not only key on-pitch action, Sean’s accounts will also reflect the pre-match build-up and the atmosphere generated in the Red Army’s bid to inspire the team, plus his take on the standout performers in the side, with this latest offering covering Tuesday’s County Antrim Shield quarter-final victory over Glentoran.

Cliftonville hosted a Glentoran team at Solitude for the third time in just over three weeks; the men on September 19, the Ladies on October 4 and, on this occasion, it was the return of the men for what was a very entertaining and exciting County Antrim Shield quarter-final.

The match was well attended, which is the norm when the Glens come to visit, and as home and away fans were housed together in the Disabled Section, I was pleased to meet Ryan, a Glenman I had previously played disabled sports with a few years ago.

Ryan was with his grandfather, ex-Glentoran favourite Jim Cleary, and former Glens and Cliftonville players Don Leslie and Barney Bowers – my uncle Eamonn’s favourite ever Reds player (the old man’s favourites were the full 1979 Cup-winning squad).

Barney played for Cliftonville in that infamous clash with Glentoran back in 1978 which I mentioned in my second report. He left for Derby County shortly afterwards then returned to Belfast as a Glens player. Our loss was their gain!

A few banners hung from the stand – Larne Reds, Michael Newberry Reds and one with images of Joe the Goal which I had not seen before. Another hung from below the permanent Red Army/Sean Graham banner. I couldn’t see what was written on it but the one closest to me and hanging beside the tunnel was easy to read – Jimmy and Skin’s Red & White Army.

Once I was sure that Paul Treanor, the Reds’ statistician, had forgiven me for previously referring to supporters from the 1970s as “old”, I settled down to look at the teamsheet. Joe Sheridan, my classmate from St Malachy’s College, was on the bench and gave a good account of himself when he came on as sub late in the game.

Red Arnie and the girls from Ardoyne GAA club welcomed the teams on to the pitch and then it was time for the action.

The first-half was evenly matched with Cliftonville creating more chances and Glentoran dominating possession, so it was no surprise that the scoreline was 0-0 after the first 45 minutes.

The second period saw a more organised Cliftonville team, whose half-time team-talk paid off in the 54th minute when number 20, Ben Quinn, fired in the only goal of the game low into the left hand corner of the net and so the night finished with a deserved win for the Reds.

The scoreline could have been more. Cliftonville were unlucky with three clear chances going wide though, with a bit of luck, Glentoran could have equalised near the end when a shot rebounded off the woodwork.

Apart from a few howls of protest at some of the officials’ decisions, the away fans were unusually quiet. There was some brief chanting in the last 15 minutes but nothing much else to support their team. This was in stark contrast to the Cliftonville Ultras who sang, chanted and drummed for the full 90 minutes and which was acknowledged by Jim Magilton as having a positive impact on the team’s performance.

After Paddy Gargan was sure that, with five losses in a row (well, for the men anyway), I could still spell the word ‘win’ for my report on the match, I headed home, very relieved at the victory after a nervy enough last 15 minutes.