10-man Cliftonville exit Europe as St Joseph's claim extra-time scalp at Solitude
Cliftonville suffered European heartache after they were knocked-out by St. Joseph’s after extra-time at Solitude.
Just like the first-leg in Gibraltar, the game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes with an additional 30 required in north Belfast.
However, substitute Hugo Jesslen provided the killer touch to end Cliftonville’s Conference League involvement.
It marks the second occasion that St Joseph’s have knocked an Irish League team out of Europe after beating Larne over two legs in 2022.
Fans would have been forgiven for missing the opening goal at Solitude as the visitors struck within the first minute.
A mix-up afforded Pablo Rodriguez the time to drive into the box and slot beyond Lewis Ridd.
To their credit, Jim Magilton’s men reacted well to that early blow and threatened when Joe Gormley was denied by visiting ‘keeper Bradley Banda, before the veteran striker went close on two occasions thereafter.
The pressure finally paid off on 31 minutes as the Reds equalised through an unfamiliar source as Micheal Glynn guided the ball into the far corner.
Cliftonville lost Jack Keaney to a red card in the first-leg and there would be a repeat in the reversal as Odhran Casey was dismissed for a second bookable offence early in the second-half.
However, that failed to derail the Irish League side as they went ahead on the night and on aggregate when Gormley showed some clinical acrobatics to score with an overhead kick on 65 minutes.
The advantage barely lasted three minutes as St Joseph’s made it 2-2 in eye-catching circumstances when skipper Juanma arrowed an unstoppable strike from just outside the box into the far corner.
As the game looked destined for extra-time, the Reds went within a lick of paint of a last-minute victory when substitute Conor Falls was denied by a combination of a save and the post, before Javi Forjan had a goal disallowed for offside for St Joseph’s.
Solitude was stunned as St Joseph’s then forged ahead two minutes into extra-time as Jesslen appeared to get a touch on a dangerous delivery to fire beyond Ridd.
Cliftonville tried their best to find an equaliser – but to no avail – as St Joseph’s face Shamrock Rovers in the next round.
CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Conlan, Casey, Addis, Leppard (Sheridan ‘116 mins), Glynn (Corrigan ‘81 mins), Wilson (McKay ‘99 mins), Pepper, Hale (Hawthorne ‘99 mins), Curran (Gordon ‘74 mins), Gormley (Falls ‘81 mins).
Subs: Morrison, Murray, Mahoney.
ST JOSEPH’S: Banda, Jolley, Paul, Barba, Sanchez, Rodriguez (Forjan ‘62 mins), Rey (Santos ‘108 mins), Cardozo (Gibson ‘66 mins), Juanma (Adamou ‘90+3 mins), Alvarez (Jesslen ‘90+3 mins), Armental (Martinez ‘62 mins).
Subs: Zappacosta, Olivero, Volz.