Cliftonville's Paddy McLaughlin hails Reds after vital victory over Glentoran at the Oval

Striker Ryan Curran grabbed a goal of rich quality to help move the Reds up to second place in the Danske Bank Premiership table.

But it was another day to forget for Mick McDermott’s Glentoran, who now haven’t won in four starts in all competitions.

When they lost midfielder Shay McCartan to a red card with 17 minutes remaining, the writing was on the wall in the first ever Sunday meeting between the teams.

Even with Conor McMenamin in the side the Glens didn’t lacked the cutting edge needed.

In fact, the Northern Ireland international limped off after only 24 minutes after sustaining a toe injury.

“It was a great win, complemented with another clean sheet, they don’t come much better – our boys were excellent,” said McLaughlin.

“I thought the shape of our team was fantastic. The second half was a more gritty performance. Sometimes that’s the way you’ve to play . . . that’s the way you’ve to win games. There are times you must roll up the sleeves and do the donkey stuff.

“Defensively we were great and we worked tirelessly in midfield. We knew we needed to be at our best coming to Glentoran, who are a good side.

It was the Glens who carved out the first opening on six minutes with Jay Donnelly shooting across the face of goal, with no takers in the middle.

But it was the Reds who broke the deadlock two minutes later. Although Rory Hale’s corner kick was cleared by Paddy McClean, it fell to Curran who volleyed home spectacularly.

It really should have been two when Ronan Hale decided to take on a shot instead of squaring to the unmarked Gormley on 18 minutes, but when the ball was recycled to the big striker, his fierce shot brought the best out of Aaron McCarey.

Glentoran were ready to celebrate an equaliser on 25 minutes when Donnelly turned in a cross from Shay McCartan, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Cliftonville were guilty of two astonishing missed chances just before the break. Hale shamefully blasted a Luke Turner cut-back over the top before his brother shot wide with only McCarey to beat.

Cliftonville came within inches of nicking a second goal on 62 minutes. Curran’s clever flick created the chance for Ronan Doherty, whose blistering drive cannoned back off the crossbar.

McCartan was then dismissed following a lunging tackle on Hale on 73 minutes.

With the clock ticking down the Glens went for broke with skipper Marcus Kane flashing a scissors kick wide before substitute Terry Devlin also directed a low header past the post.

Glentoran coach Rodney McAree believes McCartan was hard done by in terms of his dismissal.

“I think it was Shay’s trailing leg that caught the player,” he said. “Whether it was a red card, I don’t know.”

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Kane, Wilson, Burns (Purkis 78), McCartan, Marshall (McCullough 78), J Donnelly, R Donnelly, McClean, McMenamin (Roy 24, Devlin 78), Plum (Singleton 13). Unused subs: Murray, Webber.

CLIFTONVILLE: Gartside, Addis, Gallagher, Rory Hale (McDonagh 78), R Curran, Lowe, Robinson, Doherty, Gormley (Coates 82), Turner, Ronan Hale. Unused subs: Talley, C Curran, Storey, McGuinness, Moore.

REFEREE: Lee Tavinder.