| . |
Cliftonville secured their place in the top half of the Carling Premiership with three vital points that came by virtue of a
wonderful response to seeing Diarmuid O'Carroll's early opener cancelled out.
Lisburn Distillery used a strong wind to their advantage in the second-half and levelled on 57 minutes but the Reds
finished strongly and, after O'Carroll's inch-perfect finish had restored the lead, substitute Stephen Garrett made sure
of the points with an injury-time conversion.
Boss Tommy Breslin handed Liam Boyce a start following his return to the Club but it was strike partner O'Carroll who
proved the most effective and, after Distillery keeper Billy Brennan had saved from Martin Donnelly, the resulting
corner eventually fell O'Carroll's way and the Killarney man cracked a snapshot low into the bottom corner for his first
competitive strike since joining from Glenavon.
He almost had a second soon later but keeper Brennan was quicker to the ball from Barry Johnston's header, while
the Whites should have levelled before the break but, under pressure from Liam Fleming, David Cushley was unable
to find the target from close range.
They did finally equalise 12 minutes into the second period when Neal Gawley was on hand to fire past John Connolly
just when the visiting defence looked to have averted the danger with Ciaran Donaghy making a timely block from
Andy Hall's low drive.
Their tails up, Distillery took the game to Cliftonville and, with favourable weather conditions aiding their cause, they
peppered the visiting goal with a series of set-pieces that Connolly had to be on form to deal with.
With 20 minutes to go, however, it was the Reds who would strike next; Ryan Catney's forward ball catching the home
defence out and O'Carroll sprung the offside trap to race clear produce a lob which looked to be trickling wide only for
some late curl to take it inside the post.
Subs Garrett and Joe Gormley then teamed up for an opportunity that looked to have settled the issue but, from the
former's cross, Gormley saw his blast blocked on the line by a bundle of defenders and, minutes later, the same
player was inches off target with a strike that left Brennan floundering.
The security goal eventually arrived in injury-time when Garrett showed neat feet to work his way into the area and get
away a shot that the keeper failed to gather.
wonderful response to seeing Diarmuid O'Carroll's early opener cancelled out.
Lisburn Distillery used a strong wind to their advantage in the second-half and levelled on 57 minutes but the Reds
finished strongly and, after O'Carroll's inch-perfect finish had restored the lead, substitute Stephen Garrett made sure
of the points with an injury-time conversion.
Boss Tommy Breslin handed Liam Boyce a start following his return to the Club but it was strike partner O'Carroll who
proved the most effective and, after Distillery keeper Billy Brennan had saved from Martin Donnelly, the resulting
corner eventually fell O'Carroll's way and the Killarney man cracked a snapshot low into the bottom corner for his first
competitive strike since joining from Glenavon.
He almost had a second soon later but keeper Brennan was quicker to the ball from Barry Johnston's header, while
the Whites should have levelled before the break but, under pressure from Liam Fleming, David Cushley was unable
to find the target from close range.
They did finally equalise 12 minutes into the second period when Neal Gawley was on hand to fire past John Connolly
just when the visiting defence looked to have averted the danger with Ciaran Donaghy making a timely block from
Andy Hall's low drive.
Their tails up, Distillery took the game to Cliftonville and, with favourable weather conditions aiding their cause, they
peppered the visiting goal with a series of set-pieces that Connolly had to be on form to deal with.
With 20 minutes to go, however, it was the Reds who would strike next; Ryan Catney's forward ball catching the home
defence out and O'Carroll sprung the offside trap to race clear produce a lob which looked to be trickling wide only for
some late curl to take it inside the post.
Subs Garrett and Joe Gormley then teamed up for an opportunity that looked to have settled the issue but, from the
former's cross, Gormley saw his blast blocked on the line by a bundle of defenders and, minutes later, the same
player was inches off target with a strike that left Brennan floundering.
The security goal eventually arrived in injury-time when Garrett showed neat feet to work his way into the area and get
away a shot that the keeper failed to gather.
Better by half
| . |
Lisburn Distillery 1-3 Cliftonville
| Date Saturday, January 21, 2012 Competition Carling Premiership Venue New Grosvenor, Ballyskeagh |
| 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 8. 11. 14. 17. 24. 27. |
John Connolly
Liam Fleming
Ronan Scannell
Barry Johnston
Ciaran Donaghy
George McMullan
Martin Donnelly
Diarmuid O'Carroll
Ryan Catney
Mark Clarke
Liam Boyce
Liam Fleming
Ronan Scannell
Barry Johnston
Ciaran Donaghy
George McMullan
Martin Donnelly
Diarmuid O'Carroll
Ryan Catney
Mark Clarke
Liam Boyce
Cliftonville XI
Substitutes
Attendance
TBC
TBC
| 7. 10. 18. 19. 25. |
Ciaran Caldwell
Stephen Garrett
Emmet Templeton
Joe Gormley
Dermot McVeigh
Stephen Garrett
Emmet Templeton
Joe Gormley
Dermot McVeigh
[11] [8] [27] |
Diarmuid O'Carroll shows his delight after opening the scoring; Martin Donnelly nips in ahead of Distillery's Andy Hall
and (right) Joe Gormley is denied by bodies on the line
and (right) Joe Gormley is denied by bodies on the line