It wasn’t pretty but we’ve shown we can grind it out: Curran
SKIPPER Chris Curran admitted Cliftonville’s win at the Loughshore Hotel Arena wasn’t pretty — but insisted the result was more important than the performance.
Paddy McLaughlin’s boys got the better of Carrick Rangers in a game that never rose above any degree of mediocrity.
It was fitting that the only piece of genuine quality on show duly led to the winning goal.
Joe Gormley’s cute reverse pass sent Curran racing clear.
When he picked out Ronan Doherty on the left, the midfielder quickly released Ryan Curran on the right and his low cross was nudged over the line by his namesake Chris.
“It wasn’t a classic by any means, but the main thing was picking up the three points,” said the captain. “We’ll probably play better in certain games and lose.
“Every team has to grind out results like that. It’s all about winning, we’ll worry about the performance later.”
On his winning strike, the former Ballinamallard United man (left, with Doherty) added: “It was a pure counter-attack. It all came from their (Carrick’s) corner-kick.
“When we broke, I realised I had quite a few options.
“I certainly couldn’t have done it all on my own. I spotted Ronan flying down the left, I was happy to give him the ball. He then switched it to Ryan and he really put it on a plate for me.
“It would have been harder to miss, but it was a well-worked goal. Tap-ins are always sweet, especially when it wins you the game.
“It’s something I’m trying to do, score more goals. That’s one part of my game I need to improve on.
“That was my first 90 minutes of the campaign. Just at the tailend of pre-season, I sustained a little niggle which disrupted me a little bit, so I was really happy to get a full 90 minutes under my belt.”
CARRICK: Hogg, Neale, Surgenor, Loughran, Chapman (Gray, 69 mins), Faulkner (Kelly, 32 mins), Nixon, Ferrin, Smith, Cherry (McDermott, 62 mins), Anderson. Unused subs: McAuley, Carson, Rodgers, Magill.
CLIFTONVILLE: Brush, McDermott, Ives, Breen, Harney, C Curran, R Curran, R Donnelly (McMenamin, 66 mins), Bagnall (Wilson, 81 mins), Doherty, Gormley (Gorman, 86 mins). Unused subs: Dunne, Foster, Maguire, A Donnelly.
Referee: Shane Andrews (Ballygowan) Man of the Match: Chris Curran
Match Rating: 4/10 DUNDELA and Loughgall stretched their unbeaten starts to five games, but the Championship’s joint leaders are now just a single point ahead of the chasing pack after battling out a goalless draw.
With the top two sharing the spoils, it allowed the teams immediately below to close the gap.
Both Ards and Portadown took advantage of the Lakeview Park stalemate to move within touching distance at the top. Ards, however, left it late to notch their first win in three games.
With just five minutes to go, Michael McLellan fired home a superb 25-yard free kick to secure a 1-0 win over a Knockbreda side who looked on course to record their first point since the opening day of the campaign.
The Ports won back-to-back games for the first time this season when they beat Harland & Wolff Welders 2-0 at Shamrock Park. Lee Bonis made it two goals in as many appearances before Greg Hall made it 2-0.
Queen’s University are tucked just behind those two in fifth place with a third win in four games.
Ben Mulgrew and Philip Traynor scored four minutes apart to put them 2-0 up at half-time and Dergview could only net a consolation midway through the second half from Garth Falconer.
Ballinamallard United jumped above Ballyclare Comrades and into the top half after dishing out a 5-0 hammering at Ferney Park.
There was little sign of what was to come when the Mallards led 1-0 at half time through Sean McAvoy.
Shortly after Ryan Campbell doubled the lead, the Mallards were facing 10 men when Curtis Woods was sent off.
With the numerical advantage, Harry McConkey’s men upped the ante and made it three when Campbell netted his second on 70 minutes and then piled on the agony when Josh McIlwaine made it 4-0 before Campbell completed his hat-trick.
PSNI got their first points of the season with a 2-1 win away to Newry City, with Nathan Best and Jack McAllister scoring either side of the break ahead of Adam Foley’s reply.
RESULTS: Ballinamallard Utd 5 Ballyclare Com 0; Knockbreda 0 Ards 1; Loughgall 0 Dundela 0; Newry City 1 PSNI 2; Portadown 2 H&W Welders 0; Queen’s University 2 Dergview 1.