Curran backs hotshots Gormley and Donnelly to sustain Reds’ title shot

DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP SKIPPER Chris Curran believes Cliftonville are about to strike it rich, with Joe Gormley and Rory Donnelly now bang on form!

It is no coincidence that the Reds’ early season form suffered when hotshot Donnelly was out serving a six-game suspension.

But since his return, Barry Gray’s boys have rattled off four straight wins that have catapulted the north Belfast side right back into the Danske Bank Premiership title mix again.

And, both were at their lethal best in the 3-1 win over Newry City last Monday night, Donnelly netting his team’s opener before laying a second on a plate for ‘Joe The Goal’.

“It has taken Rory a few games to get up to speed,” said Curran. “But I think everyone saw the other night in the televised game he’s now back to his best.

“Rory may have missed the start of the season, but he kept his head down and worked hard in training. He kept himself fit and was in good shape when he came back.

“He has come into a rich vein of form over the past few weeks. That’s what Rory is all about. He is a team player . . . he had an enormous number of assists in our goals last season and he chips in with a healthy amount.

“It’s a good sign when Rory is in form because he usually makes the players around him play well.

“Joe always pops up with a goal, regardless of how quiet a game he is having. His goal the other night was a sheer poacher’s effort. He was on his toes when everyone else stopped. He gambled at the back post and scored from two yards out.

“The boys are a really good partnership. They really clicked last season and it has taken only a couple of weeks for them to gel again. It’s only going to reap more rewards for us.”

Curran is hoping the deadly duo can again come up with the goods in today’s League showdown with David Jeffrey’s impressive Ballymena United side at the Showgrounds.

“Ballymena are big and strong all over the park,” adds Curran. “They are a force to be reckoned with. They are powerful and have pace up front with Johnny McMurray and Cathair Friel. I would say there are going to be goals simply because of the players that will be on the pitch.

“It’s a massive game because Ballymena are in similar form to ourselves. We know how impressive they are at home.

“So, it means something is going to give. But confidence in the camp is high. You could sense that in the win over Newry.

“They scored early on, but we quickly came back at them. Then we scored three goals in something like seven or eight minutes which really killed it.” Confidence high: Chris Curran delighted with winning run