Jim Magilton delighted to send Cliftonville supporters home happy from Solitude one last time this season with Glentoran victory

With only two matches to go – both against Linfield at Windsor Park with their final league match followed one week later by a sold-out Irish Cup final – of a memorable first season under Magilton, the Reds got back to winning ways by collecting a first triumph of the Premiership split.

Cliftonville were challenging for Gibson Cup honours for long stretches of this campaign and while they’ll ultimately finish third, Magilton’s men have already secured a return to European football for next season and home form was key to it.

They collected 39 points from a potential 54 at the North Belfast venue, winning 12 and drawing three of their 18 matches with only Larne (13) conceding fewer home goals than Cliftonville (14) at this stage.

Their three home defeats all came against either Larne or Linfield while the only bottom-half side that departed Solitude with a point throughout the whole campaign was Loughgall after a 1-1 draw in September.

“When we settled into the game, we created enough opportunities to win two games,” Magilton reflected on the game to the club’s website. “It was a bit like at Crusaders in midweek, when we also created a lot of opportunities but just couldn’t put enough of them away.

“When you’re on top, you have to take those opportunities because it gives you a cushion and then it gives the players confidence to go and play.

“Overall, I’m delighted with the result and delighted that we sent our fans home happy. It was important that we won the game and it’s a positive result for us going into next week.”

Goalscorer Mallon was replaced in the first-half, but Magilton revealed it was a precautionary move with their biggest match of the season on the horizon.

“I think it was just a precaution with Stephen,” he added. “I think he felt his thigh a bit and fair play to him because it’s not easy to come off in those circumstances when there’s a cup final coming up.

"You can’t take any chances and it’s the same with Paddy (Burns), so we took him off as well.

“Obviously, we need minutes for others. Kris Lowe was back in the squad but we couldn’t get him on the pitch; Shea Gordon’s got minutes which is important. Overall, the bench looked healthier for us.”