REDS BAG LATE, LATE WINNER
Odhran Casey bagged a last gasp winner as Cliftonville narrowly defeated Carrick Rangers at the Loughview Leisure Arena.
A bright opening to the game produced efforts at either end as Rory Hale was denied by a good stop from Ross Glendinning before play switched for Danny Gibson to send the ball over from distance.
Gibson threatened again soon after making his way down the left flank to test David Odumosu while, for Cliftonville, Hale again forced Glendinning into a save to deal with a looping effort into the box.
But the chance of the half came in the closing stages after Jonny Addis nodded on a Ronan Doherty corner for Luke Turner but he was stopped at point blank range by Glendinning.
After the break Gibson sent a low shot narrowly past the target before, a short time later, Steven Gordon failed to make the most of a mix-up in the Reds defence before the danger was cleared.
However, Cliftonville came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the second half when Shea Kearney sent the ball against an upright after Albert Watson had blocked Ronan Hale's initial effort.
The visitors had a bit of a scare as the game progressed after a Gibson strike was well stopped by Odumosu but the keeper failed to hold onto the ball although, fortunately for him, no-one could connect with the loose ball before it was cleared.
But, just as it looked like the game went end scoreless, Sean Stewart sent a looping free-kick into the area for Casey to nod the ball past the despairing Glendinning.
Carrick Rangers: Ross Glendinning, Forsythe, Watson, Gordon, Cushley, Mitchell, Maciulaitis, MacKinnon, Buchanan-Rolleston, Reece Glendinning, Gibson subs McCauley, Surgenor, McGuckin, Allen, Crowe, Cherry, Teelan
Cliftonville: Odumosu, Stewart, Addis, Curran, Rory Hale, Doherty, Gormley, Casey, Turker, Ronan Hale, Kearney subs Gartside, Pepper, Kenny, Gordon, McGuinness, Wylie, Corrigan
Substitution 
Substitution 
