Cup holders Cliftonville reached the final of this season’s Clearer Water Irish Cup thanks to a 3-0 win over Ards in the last four.
Jim Magilton’s Premiership side were always on top against their Championship opponents at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park tonight.
Ards had their moments in the semi-final but goals from ace marksman Joe Gormley and substitutes Alex Parsons and Ryan Corrigan secured the victory for the Reds, who have already won the NIFL League Cup this season.
Both defences were on top in the opening exchanges, although Cliftonville enjoyed more possession. Ards defender Ryan Arthur and captain Michael Ruddy made a couple of important interventions.
The first decent chance of the game came on 13 minutes when the Reds’ Ryan Curran broke the offside trap, after being played in by Rory Hale, however Ards keeper Alex Moore was quickly off his line to save Curran’s shot.
Minutes later Moore raced off his line again, this time to save a Shea Gordon strike. The loose ball fell to Shea Kearney just outside the area. He steadied himself before firing in a shot, however his effort sailed over the crossbar as Moore scrambled to get back into nets.
Ards carved out a good opportunity when Eamon Scannell showed some trickery down the left flank before slipping the ball to Aidan Steele inside the area and his goal-bound shot was diverted out for a corner by Luke Conlan.
In the 24th minute Hale was stopped in his tracks on the edge of the area by a scything challenge from Odhran McCart. The resulting free-kick saw Jack Keaney blast a low shot towards goal. Moore comfortably dealt with it.
Five minutes later Gormley opened the scoring for Cliftonville with a trademark finish. Hale’s deft looping pass found the veteran striker in a central position on the edge of the area and he volleyed the ball superbly past Moore.
Gormley then went close with a curler from distance, while Ards had a good break towards the end of the half which came to nothing.
After the break a Sean Stewart delivery into the area was cleared by Arthur.
Then Ards carved out an opening. Steele found Connor Maxwell at the back post and his volleyed cross just evaded Lee Newell on the edge of the six-yard box.
Hale tested Moore again with a long range effort before Jonny Addis cleverly played in Curran. Moore saved at Curran’s feet. Kearney kept the move alive and the ball eventually fell to Gormley and his shot drifted wide.
Kearney surged down the right flank and crossed the ball to Reds substitute Arran Pettifer, whose header was off target.
Sean Stewart fired a shot over the bar, while Kearney found Pettifer at the back post and he steered his effort wide.
Curran fed Gormley inside the area. He swivelled and got a shot off, but the ball went wide of the post.
A deflected cross from Ards substitute Darius Roohi had Cliftonville keeper Lewis Ridd back-pedalling and he just managed to tip the ball out for a corner.
On 73 minutes Cliftonville extended their lead. Hale was at the heart of it again. He whipped the ball to the back post where substitute Parsons powerfully headed it home.
The Reds pushed forward again. Gormley’s clipped shot dropped just past the post.
Eamon Scannell almost gave Ards a lifeline when he cut inside and let fly. His shot, however, went over the bar.
Pettifer struck the inside of the post with a crisp strike but Cliftonville eventually added a third when Ards keeper Moore cleared the ball straight to man of the match Gormley and he brought it under control before unselfishly squaring it to substitute Corrigan and he found the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Cliftonville deserved the victory and will now compete in the final for the second year in a row.
Cliftonville: Lewis Ridd, Sean Stewart, Jonny Addis, Shea Kearney, Rory Hale (captain), Ryan Curran, Luke Conlan, Shea Gordon, Joe Gormley, Jack Keaney, Harry Wilson.
Substitutes: (used) Arran Pettifer, Alex Parsons, Micheal Glynn, Ryan Corrigan, Coran Madden; (unused) David Odumosu (GK), Stephen McGuinness.
Ards: Alex Moore, Max Greer, Connor Maxwell, Ryan Arthur, Michael Ruddy (captain), Eamon Scannell, Odhran McCart, Ethan Simpson, Aidan Steele, Lee Newell, George Tipton.
Substitutes: (used) Darius Roohi, Ross Hunter, Conor Scannell, Kyle Calderwood; (unused) Marc Matthews (GK), Zach Barr, Mark Carson.
Action from the National Stadium
