Teenager Ryan Corrigan hit a late winner against battling Bangor at Clandeboye Park to book Cliftonville a place in the quarter-finals of the BetMcLean Cup.

The game looked to be heading for extra-time – and even a dreaded penalty shoot-out – when Corrigan struck the decisive blow.

With most eyes on Joe Gormley, who was making his 500th appearance in a Cliftonville shirt, the veteran striker was overshadowed by the new kid on the block on this occasion.

Gormley had the ball in the net after only 14 minutes, but he had strayed into an offside position before the ball hit the roof of the net.

placeholder image — Cliftonville's Ryan Corrigan netted a late winner on the road at Bangor to send the Reds into the quarter-finals of the BetMcLean Cup

Feeney’s men, sprinkled with youth, hit back with teenager Sonny Redford latching on to a Ben Cushnie pass only to see his low drive beaten away by the legs of goalkeeper Lewis Ridd.

Bangor defender Max Davidson then sent in a speculative cross that turned into a shot that Ridd was forced to flick over the crossbar.

But it was the Reds who put their foot on the gas for the rest of the half. Taylor Steven’s cross was met by Rory Hale and, when the ball broke to Gormley, his low shot crashed back off the post.

Ryan Curran was then only inches away with a back post header after Micheal Glynn had whipped in a great delivery from the left.

The Reds almost broke the deadlock just minutes from the interval. This time Steven and Curran prised open the Bangor defence and, when the ball broke to Glynn, his shot had Ben Fry flying across his goal to flick for a corner kick.

And from a well-worked short-corner routine, Hale was left cursing his luck when his shot from a narrow angle rammed against the crossbar.

It was the Seasiders who roared from the traps after the restart with Cushnie testing Ridd with a stinging 20-yard drive.

And, the Reds shot-stopper was called on again when giant defender Kyle Owens met a Tom Mathieson corner kick, but Ridd managed to claw away from the top corner.

With the clock ticking down, the Reds again began to up the ante and both substitutes almost conjured up a breakthrough on 73 minutes. Ryan Berry crossed for Ruaidhri Donnelly at the back post only for Ridd to get down well and save.

In one last ditch attempt to nick the win, Reds’ defender Michael Newberry joined his forwards to meet a Hale free-kick, only to see Fry cling on to his header.

But the Reds were not to be denied. Corrigan showed great feet on the left before cutting inside and firing into the bottom corner, much to the delight of the travelling Red Army.