Honours even between Cliftonville and Glentoran as teenager Shea Kearney scores first senior Reds goal
The points were shared between Cliftonville and Glentoran at Solitude on Saturday as 19-year-old Shea Kearney scored his first senior Reds goal in a 2-2 draw. Here’s the story of the match.
Jim Magilton made one change to his Cliftonville team with the Premiership’s top goalscorer Ben Wilson returning from the start while Niall McGinn, who produced a sensational performance in last weekend’s derby win over Linfield, missed out completely for Glentoran.
Sean Murray makes his first Premiership start in almost a year and Rhys Marshall is back in the matchday squad for the first time since September.
CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Addis, Gallagher, Rory Hale, Mallon, Doherty, Casey, Turner, Ronan Hale, Kearney, Wilson.
Subs: Gartside, Pepper, Curran, Gormley, Ashford, McGuinness, Berry.
GLENTORAN: McCarey, McCullough, McCartan, O’Connor, Singleton, Murray, Sule, Fisher, McClean, Russell, Wightman.
Subs: Webber, Marshall, Kelly, Boyd, Walsh, Junior, Smyth.
Referee: Keith Kennedy.
FIRST HALF
3: GOAL - CLIFTONVILLE 1 (RONAN HALE) - 0 Glentoran – The Reds make a rapid start here at Solitude as Ben Wilson's flicked header falls into the path of Ronan Hale, who slides the ball past Aaron McCarey. 1-0.
21: Daire O’Connor finds some space and gets a shot away from a narrowing angle. It looks like David Odumosu saved it, but referee points for a goal kick instead.
28: Sean Murray clips a ball in behind for Shay McCartan to run on to, but Stephen Mallon does well to guide it out of play.
36: David Fisher is the first player into Keith Kennedy’s book after colliding with Chris Gallagher.
45: Ronan Doherty plays a fantastic through ball into the path of Ben Wilson, but his shot is high and wide.
45+2 - GOAL: Cliftonville 1 - 1 GLENTORAN (DAIRE O'CONNOR) – Glentoran find their equaliser on the stroke of half-time as Daire O'Connor's deflected shot makes its way past David Odumosu after Cliftonville failed to clear their lines from a throw in
HALF-TIME: Cliftonville 1 (Ronan Hale, 3) – 1 Glentoran (Daire O’Connor, 45+2)
Jim Magilton makes one half-time substitution with Stephen McGuinness coming on for Stephen Mallon.
48: GOAL - Cliftonville 1 - 2 GLENTORAN (DAVID FISHER) – A superb free-kick routine between Sean Murray and Shay McCartan, who clips the ball to the back post for Fisher to head home in front of the Glentoran fans.
53: Rory Hale unleashes a vicious shot from distance which has Aaron McCarey scrambling, but it goes just over his crossbar.
55: GOAL - CLIFTONVILLE 2 (SHEA KEARNEY) - 2 Glentoran – Cliftonville aren't behind for long and what a moment for 19-year-old Shea Kearney, who scores his first senior Reds goal. He receives the ball wide on the right, cuts inside and unleashes a wicked shot into the far corner. All square once again.
62: Rhys Marshall makes his first Glentoran appearance since September 2 by replacing Sean Murray.
66: Stephen McGuinness plays a great ball into the box for Ronan Hale, but the striker can only send his shot directly at Aaron McCarey.
72: Ben Wilson is replaced by Sam Ashford for Cliftonville and Warren Feeney makes a substitution of his own with Daire O’Connor making way for Josh Kelly.
FULL TIME: Cliftonville 2 – 2 Glentoran. Cliftonville thought they had a winner with the last kick of the game after Rory Hale converted from Odhran Casey's cross, but it was flagged for offside. Honours even at Solitude.