Paddy McLaughlin hails Cliftonville stopper Richard Brush

The Reds have been impressive at the back all season and have the second meanest defence in the league having conceded only one more goal than leaders Linfield on 13.

One of the key factors in that has been the form of keeper Richard Brush.

The big stopper has played an invaluable role for the Reds this term with some key saves along the way.

In the Solitude’s side’s 28 games so far this season Brush has kept a clean sheet in half of them.

It’s an impressive record for the former Ballinamallard United stopper.

But it hasn’t come as a surprise for his current boss Paddy McLaughlin who rates Brush as the number one keeper in the Danske Bank Premiership.

“I said it a few weeks ago and I’ll say it again, for me Richard Brush is the best keeper in the division,” said the Cliftonville boss.

“He’s kept more clean sheets than any other keeper.

“He showed his ability again today with another top class performance.

“He pulled off a couple of top class saves to keep us in the match when Coleraine were putting us under a bit of pressure.

“That’s his job, he’s there to pull off the big saves, and he is as vital as a striker at the other end of the pitch putting the ball in the net for you.

“He’s done it so many times now this season.

“Fair play to him it’s another hard-earned clean sheet, but a well-deserved one because he’s been superb for us throughout the season.”

Cliftonville were indebted to Brush at Solitude on Saturday.

The stopper made key saves to deny Ben Doherty, Stephen O’Donnell and Josh Carson as Coleraine pushed hard for the opener in this tense affair.

Even when Brush was beaten by Ian Parkhill’s cross-cum-shot he got a bit of good fortune as it cannoned off the bar and away to safety.

That gave the Reds the perfect platform to build on and go on and secure the three points in the end.

The winner came from livewire midfielder Conor McMenamin, who proved to be a constant threat to the Bannsiders all afternoon.

“It came from two great balls into the box by young Aaron Donnelly, he has superb delivery and can put it into really good areas,” explained McLaughlin.

“Luckily for us Conor was on the end of it, it was a great header.

“He got up really we;; to meet it, because I thought at the time Aaron had maybe overhit the cross.

“But it landed perfectly for Conor to get on the end of. He showed great technique to put it away.

“The game needed something special like that.

“When the moment came Conor McMenamin is the man who you would put your house on to take that opportunity.”

The late win over Coleraine on Saturday will give the Reds a big psychological boost says McLaughlin.

It was the first win for the Solitude outfit over a fellow top four side so far this term.

The Reds boss said he never doubted his players, but feels this will hand them a major boost.

“Psychologically it’s a bigger result than the three points.” said McLaughlin.

“We never doubt the players because I see them four days a week and I know they are top class in everything they do.

“But some people were starting to doubt us and whisper we couldn’t beat anyone above us.

“If any of our boys were feeling that way this result puts that to bed, and hopefully the people outside the club will start giving the players the credit they deserve.”

Tensions threatened to boil over at the end but McLaughlin said it was nothing more than handbags, and was keen to focus on the game.

“I think some people are getting caught up with a bit of pushing and shoving after the game, but I don’t want to take anything away from what was a good battle between two good sides.

“It was a bit of handbags in thirty seconds of stupidness by both sets of players, for me we should concentrate on the match.

“Coleraine were every bit as good as we were, it was just lucky enough we got the goal to win it.

“Delighted we came out of the game on the right side, every three points is precious in this division.

“You can see every week how difficult it is for teams to beat each other, it’s so competitive, especially the teams in the top half, who all have a realistic target of winning the league.

“To get a result against any of those teams is massive.

“We know how good Coleraine are, they’ve been in the top two throughout the season.

“To beat them here 1-0, we’re delighted.

“It was hard-fought, both side went toe-to-toe throughout the 90 minutes, there was no give and take, it was competitive but fair.

“They had an early chance through young Glackin, I think it just fell to him at the wrong angle.

“You’re expecting him to score because he’s got that quality, but we got away with one there.

“Then they hit the bar, but that was a bit of a freak as it came from a cross, I don’t think there was much intention on it.

“We had a couple of chances ourselves, but there wasn’t many clear-cut chances.

“We always believed we could go on and win the match, and luckily enough that’s how it panned out.”