Reds turned on style in second half: McLaughlin
CLIFTONVILLE boss Paddy McLaughlin was pleased by his side’s comfortable win against his old club Institute.
Conor McMenamin’s (below) double along with Joe Gormley’s 198th goal for the club sealed the deserved success, at a sunsoaked Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
The three points meant it was the Reds’ fifth win a row and capped off a fine week, much to McLaughlin’s delight.
“It’s a good result and it was a good performance from us, especially in the second half,” McLaughlin said.
“The first half was a bit sluggish and we were a bit slow out of the blocks but to be fair to ‘Stute they set up really well and they worked hard and defended well.
“We had a word at halftime and told the boys to try and play on the front foot and do things a bit quicker, and we got a bit of joy from that.
“To come here and win 3-0 — we’re delighted with the three points and the clean sheet. It’s a difficult place.
“I know the players and the club well and I know how proud they are so any team that comes here and gets a 3-0 well, they have to work hard for it.”
For ‘Stute boss Sean Connor said he was bitterly disappointed with not just the result, but his team’s display.
The ex-Dundalk gaffer felt McMenamin’s stunning free kick early in the second half ended the game as a contest.
“The second goal did kill the game and to be fair it was a good really free kick,” insisted Connor.
“Whether or not we should have been giving that free kick away, I don’t know, but we can’t deny that it was a fantastic finish.
“It sucked any life out of our challenge because we’d change to 4-3-3 to try and have a go at them, but it killed the game.” INSTITUTE: R Brown, Crown, Bonner, Leppard, McLaughlin, McNamee (McIntyre 70), Tourish, McCauley, G Brown, McGurk (Bradley 63), McCready (McLaughlin 82). CLIFTONVILLE: Brush, McDermott, Breen, Harney (Gorman 77), A Donnelly, C Curran, R Curran (McKee 82), R Donnelly, Doherty, McMenamin, Gormley (Maguire 87). Referee: Arnold Hunter.
Man of match: Conor McMenamin.