Cliftonville 2 Glentoran 2

Glentoran Win 4-3 on Pens

Tuesday 16th November

Glens Win it in the End!!

A bumpy pitch, wet and cold conditions, bookings galore, two sent off a typical cup tie and this lived up to everyone's expectations.  The goal scoring got off to an early start with the home team earning themselves a debatable penalty, when McCallion was brought down by the clumsy Pete Batey and McCallion stepped up and placed his penalty past the outstretched arm of Alan Gough.  In the 20th minute the Cliftonville defence made a terrible blunder when they stood and watched a through pass, Tim McCann picked the ball up and instead of shooting first time he tried to take the ball around McLaughlin but in the end he had taken it too far and the ball went a goal kick.

In the 25th minute it was Scott Young's turn to have a shot but his long ranger was straight at McLaughlin, and 3 minutes later McLaughlin was again in action when he touched over a powerful drive by Batey.  Two minutes later the Cliftonville No 9 striker was giving his marching orders for his second bookable offence with a rough tackle on Michael Ferguson.  In injury time at the end of the first half McCallion scored his second goal of the night when he latched onto a bad mistake by McCombe and with only Gough to beat he calmly lifted the ball over his head into the back of the net

Half Time Cliftonville 2 Glentoran 0

The Glens started brightly and where shooting into the goal which housed the big Glentoran support behind the it.  6 minutes into the second half Russell should have been credited a goal when he bundled the ball over the line but referee Hiles insisted that the ball did not cross the line but it was so clear that it did.  Then Ciaran McLaughlin the Cliftonville goalkeeper in the 53rd minute was very fortunate again not to receive a red card when he spilt the ball and then retrieved it again by picking the ball up inches outside his box, the punishment only a yellow card. Two minutes later in the 55th minute Michael Ferguson hit a shot just inside the box which beat McLaughlin but not the post and the ball fell to safety.  In the 67th minute Pete Batey needlessly gave away possession which nearly let in Cliftonville for their third and that would have really killed of the Glens but McCombe was there to clear the shot of the line after it had beaten Gough at his far post. In the 70th minute Brian Russell did everything right to set himself up but he then blazed over, McCombe had his header superbly saved which looked goal bound.  With 15 minutes left Cliftonville were finding it impossibly to even get out of their box with the onslaught of pressure being thrown at them by the Champions, but they did manage to pull a goal back in the 70 minute a delicate Scott Young pass and Tim McCann rifled the bal across McLaughlin and into the back of the net, he was delighted and ran to the Glentoran fans which also rewarded Stuart Elliott a caution for taking the celebrations a bit too far by jumping onto the fence behind the goal, and with 9 minutes remaining McLaughlin again saved this time from Russell which looked as good as in.  At this stage the Glentoran pressure was unbelievable and it finally payed off when a deep cross by McCann was firmly met by the head of Substitute Ian Gilzean to head home the equalizer to send the fans into ecstasy. When the final whistle sounded McLaughlin the goalkeeper who had to take a lot of abuse crossed himself right in front of us, which didn't go down too well and could have so easily caused a riot, but thankfully didn't.

Full Time Cliftonville 2 Glentoran 2

1st Half Extra Time

The game seemed to have clamed down in extra time with the only real notable efforts where from Scott Young blasting over and Gilzean's rather tame effort straight at the keeper.

2nd Half Extra Time

4 minutes into this half Stuart Elliott received his marching orders, he was booked earlier in the celebrations and was this time booked again either for a tackle on Small or for something he said and was escorted off the pitch by Stewards, which really will not benefit the Glens in the weeks to come.  Russell off Kennedy on.  In the 6th minute of the 30 Davey Rainey was booked as was Tim McCann for a tackle on Scannel and at this point Hiles started to lose control slightly issuing cards left right and center.  With a minute left Gilzean had a chance to finish it off with the ball going back and forward like a ping pong ball around in the 6 yard box but could only direct his header slightly to the left of the goalkeeper.

Extra Time 2-2

Penalties

Cliftonville Scored 3, Missed 2

Glentoran Gilzean stepped up first and sent the keeper the wrong way

Kennedy then blazed over the bar

McCann slammed his shot straight into the roof of the net with the keeper going left.

Hamill hit a firm shot with the keeper going the opposite direction

Scott Young placed the ball into the right hand corner to send the Glens through into the Final

Roll on Linfield!

Team