Paul O’Neill and Joe Gormley double joy in Cliftonville’s League Cup final glory

After a cagey first half the game burst into life after the break as Matthew Shevlin and Stephen Lowry fired the Bannsiders into a two-goal lead.

But just like he had done in the recent Irish Cup meeting between the sides, Joe Gormley came off the bench to turn the game on its head.

He reduced the arrears on 74 minutes to give his side a much-needed boost.

And, right at the death, fellow sub Paul O’Neill poked home from close range to remarkably take the game into extra-time.

The Bannsiders’ hopes of retaining the trophy were further dented a minute into the additional 30 as James McLaughlin was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Chris Curran.

That moment of madness cost his team dearly as O’Neill and then Gormley both scored again.

Curtis Allen scored a late consolation but it was the Reds who secured the first of what could be three trophies in this incredible season.

Both sides entered the arena to a raucous noise from the record attendance for the League Cup final.

We were even treated to bright skies after a windswept morning as Coleraine got proceedings underway.

It was the Reds who were first to threaten as Ryan Curran met an in-swinging free-kick by Levi Ives, but his glancing header flew past the upright.

The Bannsiders responded with a scintillating run from Jamie Glackin, he held off Ives before picking out Shevlin who blazed his effort wildly over the bar.

Jamie McDonagh then looked to produce another moment of magic as we moved in the 18th minute. He glided past Aaron Traynor thanks to a sublime touch from a raking Chris Gallagher pass, before trying an audacious outside-of-the-boot half-volley from 20 yards which flew off-target but showed the confidence of the player.

Rory Hale was