Familiar hero for Cliftonville as Joe Gormley secures BetMcLean Cup glory with extra-time Glentoran strike

In front of what was a League Cup final record attendance and biggest crowd at a match hosted by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) as 14,539 spectators crammed inside the National Stadium, a familiar face popped up with the decisive strike.

Joe Gormley, who had already previously banked four League Cup winners medals, expertly poked home from a pinpoint Ryan Corrigan cross just moments after the 17-year-old was introduced off the bench.

After last season’s Irish Cup final victory over Linfield – a result which ended 45 years of competition hurt and also came with the added drama of extra-time – Jim Magilton continues to weave his magic in the Cliftonville dugout, bringing home a seventh League Cup trophy to an ever-expanding Solitude trophy room.

It hasn’t been a trademark Cliftonville season with the North Belfast side currently sitting outside the Premiership’s top-half having struggled for consistency after losing a number of key players last summer, and they were by no means at their fluent best on Sunday afternoon, but as Magilton said pre-match, it’s less about how you win, but that you win.

Glentoran had the first meaningful opportunity of the contest when Fuad Sule’s cross drifted through the box and into the path of Kodi Lyons-Foster, but the defender drilled his flash effort high over the crossbar.

Danny Amos was soon the maiden player to be cautioned by referee Shane Andrews for hauling down Alex Parsons, who was providing plenty of early threat for Cliftonville.

The Glens arguably had the better of the opening 15 minutes as both sides settled in – Jordan Jenkins had a shot blocked by Jack Keaney after he’d been slipped in by Dylan Connolly – but the tide then turned as Magilton’s side began to apply significant pressure.

Australian playmaker Parsons has made a superb start to life at Solitude, scoring in last weekend’s Irish Cup quarter-final win over North Belfast rivals Crusaders, and came close on a number of occasions to further enhancing his reputation with the Reds faithful in the first half.

He had two shots deflected wide within the space of seconds before Glens goalkeeper Daniel Gyollai was forced into a fine save to deny Parsons after the Hungarian shot-stopper also thwarted Cliftonville’s biggest chance of the opening 45 minutes, denying Ryan Curran after he’d been played through one-on-one – the former Ballinamallard United ace should arguably have done better.

Curran had another huge opportunity to open the scoring when Shea Kearney’s pinpoint cross found the striker with space in the box, but he could only glance his header agonisingly wide of the post as the two sides entered the break level.

Moments into the second half, the Glens had a penalty appeal turned down after Connolly tangled with Luke Conlan as he attempted to break into the box.

Glentoran should have taken the lead shortly after when the East Belfast outfit capitalised on a Cliftonville defensive error, allowing Jenkins through one-on-one with Lewis Ridd, but the Reds goalkeeper won the battle and produced an even better save seconds later to deny the Glens striker once again from point-blank range.

If the first half was a tense, cagey affair, the second was the complete opposite, open and end-to-end with Cliftonville denied an opener as Shea Gordon’s goal-bound attempt was blocked by Gyollai.

Both managers looked to their bench for fresh impetus as Declan Devine introduced January recruit Nathaniel Ferris after an hour while Magilton turned to club legend Gormley.

As extra-time drew closer, chances were at a premium – Rory Hale blasted wide after dispossessing opposing captain Sule and Cammy Palmer’s effort from distance was easily saved by Ridd.

Parsons once again went close in the dying stages and Gormley will be wondering how he didn’t score the winner from close range as Gyollai somehow scrambled across his goal to produce a wonder save, clawing the ball back in the nick of time.

It was Gormley who had the first chance of extra-time, almost wriggling his way between Glentoran defenders to poke home, but a mixture of Shane McEleney and Lyons-Foster applied sufficient pressure to deny.

Gormley wouldn’t be denied moments later, once again proving he’s the man for the big occasions by glancing home a pinpoint pass supplied by substitute Corrigan – the teenager who scored a late winner in Cliftonville’s last-16 triumph over Bangor in November.

At 35, Gormley continues to show class and composure, bringing his seasonal goal tally to 18, and after not getting off the bench in May’s Irish Cup showpiece decider, collecting an eleventh major honour will be extra sweet.

The Glens almost scored a dramatic equaliser at the death as Amos’ free-kick found its way to an unexpecting Johnny Russell at the back post, but the Northern Ireland U21 international couldn’t direct his reactive effort on target.

Glentoran: Gyollai, Lyons-Foster, Sule, Connolly (Pattison, 85), Palmer, McEleney (Coll, 98), Fisher (Ferris, 60), Amos, Wightman (Russell, 85, Hvid 120), Jenkins, Thorndike (Lindsay, 60).

Subs not used: Mills.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis, Kearney, Hale (Glynn, 114), Curran (Gormley, 73), Conlan, Gordon (Piesold, 73), Casey, Keaney, Wilson (Pepper, 111), Parsons (Corrigan, 97).

Subs not used: Odumosu, Ojo.

Referee: Shane Andrews.