IRISH CUP: Joe Gormley considers still more to come from Rory Donnelly partnership

Gormley and Donnelly bagged a first-half brace apiece as the Reds raced into a 3-0 lead over Loughgall within 24 minutes.

Andrew Hoey cut the gap but Donnelly added number four before the end of the first half.

A Peter Campbell red card on 81 minutes left Loughgall with 10 men as Cliftonville set up a May showdown with Coleraine.

Gormley’s brilliant lob for 3-0 marked his 150th goal in Cliftonville colours - and 28th of the current campaign.

“It was alright to be fair,” said the striker of his superb lob. “But that’s what I’m there to do, I’m at Cliftonville to score goals.

“Hopefully it can continue, the partnership with Rory is growing and developing.

“People think we played together from before but it’s a new partnership.

“We are still learning each other’s games and just have to keep adapting.

“We can still push on more.

“Although 30 goals would be nice, I’ve to get 29 first.

“I don’t set targets other than try to beat whatever I scored the previous season.”

Loughgall manager Dean Smith highlighted the quality of the Cliftonville forwardline.

“The tie was over after 20-odd minutes,” said Smith. “You can’t give strikers of that quality those kinds of chances.

“It left us with an uphill task.

“We created chances and can be proud of the second-half performance but will learn from the experience.”