Solitude stalemate between Cliftonville and Coleraine
Barry Gray’s Cliftonville entered Saturday’s match at Solitude without a win in their last 2 games.
BY AARON O'NEILL
The Reds opted to drop attacking duo Joe Gormley and Jay Donnelly in the hope of securing all 3 points against current league leaders Coleraine.
The Bannsiders welcomed back Eoin Bradley into the starting 11 to mark his first start since September after a lengthy period on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Coleraine had a golden opportunity to make it 1-0 after a minute.
Ian Parkhill and Bradley combined but the strikers effort was turned behind for a corner.
The Reds had a chance of their own on the 10 minute mark as Daniel Hughes laid the ball into the path of Rory Donnelly but his effort was denied by a last ditch tackle from Stephen O’Donnell.
Moments later Donnelly fired Liam Bagnall’s cross towards goal but his effort drifted over the crossbar.
Daniel Hughes looked to have given Barry Gray’s side the lead on 17 minutes.
The striker reacted quickest to a defensive error and rounded the goalkeeper but his goal bound effort was blocked by the ever present O’Donnell.
Donnelly and Hughes combined on 23 minutes as Hughes got on the end of Donnelly’s pinpoint cross but the forward steered his header over the crossbar.
After an impressive start to the first-half, the game fizzled out towards half-time in a half which Cliftonville dominated.
Barry Gray would have been left feeling a little disgruntled at half-time due to his side’s lack of quality in front of goal.
Cliftonville started the second-half the brighter of the sides and could have been in front with the impressive Donnelly forcing Johns into a smart save.
The waves of Cliftonville pressure continued throughout the second-half and they looked to have grabbed the lead on 67 minutes but Stephen Garrett’s effort was cleared off the line by Ciaron Harkin.
Moments later, Coleraine had their first meaningful chance of the second-half as Bradley raced clear electing to chip the advancing Neeson but to no avail.
Coleraine were reduced to 10 men on 75 minutes.
Defender Aaron Traynor was given his marching orders after he was adjudged to have fouled Donnelly when the striker was bearing down on goal.
Barry Gray turned to his bench for inspiration introducing Joe Gormley as the Reds looked to grab all 3 points.
The visitors could have grabbed the lead on 83 minutes as Carson teed up Smith but the midfielder fired his effort wide.
Moments later, substitute Jay Donnelly should have secured victory for Cliftonville.
The forward was played through on goal but he pulled his effort wide.
Cliftonville threw everything at the Bannsiders in the closing stages but they failed to find the net against an under par Coleraine side.
The result means that Oran Kearney’s side remain top of the Danske Bank Premiership with a one point advantage over second placed Crusaders who have a game in hand.
CLIFTONVILLE FC: Neeson McGovern, Ives, Breen (Cosgrove ’45), Harney, Hughes (Gormley ’83), Garrett, Bagnall, Winchester, Lavery (J. Donnelly ’68), R. Donnelly
UNUSED SUBS:Dunne, A. Donnelly
COLERAINE FC: Johns, Mullan, Harkin, Smith, Bradley (McCready ’73), Carson, McConaghie, O’Donnell, Parkhill (Mullan ’76), Traynor, McGonigle, Whiteside
UNUSED SUBS: Douglas, Ogilby, Mullan, Kee,