IRISH LEAGUE: Glentoran claim points after win over Cliftonville at Solitude

Alan Kernaghan was thrilled with his players’ positivity as Glentoran recorded a deserved victory over Cliftonville at Solitude.

After a nervy first-half during which the Glens found themselves under considerable pressure, Kernaghan’s men emerged with renewed vigour after the interval, with Marcus Kane and Curtis Allen bagging the goals which lift the east Belfast men to within three points of fifth-placed Coleraine.

“I thought we were technically and tactically very good,” said the visiting boss.

“Cliftonville had a few openings in the first-half but a lot of those were down to us making mistakes. Once we got a grip on things and started to play our football, we did very well and got our goals at good times. That keeps our little run going and we have good momentum about us as we try to chase down Coleraine.”

Reds boss Gerard Lyttle, meanwhile, bemoaned his team’s poor finishing.

“Had we taken just one of our chances in the first-half, it could have been a different story,” he said.

“We created so many but couldn’t put one of them away, then we fail to deal with balls into our own box and, when you combine the two, it usually doesn’t end well for you.

“Looking back, it’s a case of what might have been but there’s no doubt Glentoran deserved it in the end.”

CLIFTONVILLE: Burke, Ives, Flynn, McMullan, McDaid, Garrett, Brennan, Smyth, Winchester, J Donnelly, Hughes. Subs: Bonner, Curran (Winchester, 59 mins), M Donnelly (Smyth, 69 mins), Murray (McDaid, 72 mins), Catney.

GLENTORAN: Morris, Holland, Kane, Caldwell, Addis, Gordon, Morrow, Scullion, McCaffrey, Allen, Smith. Subs: Hogg, Nelson, Patton, McCullough (McCaffrey, 72 mins), Gibson.

REFEREE: Keith Kennedy (Lisburn)