JAY Donnelly banked a hat-trick as Cliftonville made light work of Knockbreda’s challenge in Tuesday night’s Toals County Antrim Shield clash at Solitude.
The striker’s first two goals came either side of conversions from his brother Rory and winger Ross Lavery as the Reds raced four goals in front inside the first 26 minutes.
A towering header completed the treble for Donnelly before Ciaran Caldwell put the seal on a 6-0 success that could and should have been more but for a combination of shoddy finishing and some fine goalkeeping.
Though the Reds were comfortable victors, things might have panned out differently had the visitors been able to make the most of an early opening that saw Murray’s shot charged down by Chris Ramsey before Cafolla’s follow-up was blocked by Levi Ives.
Soon later, a quick free-kick set Conall Young free down the right but his low delivery was well fielded by Neeson.
Within a minute, though, the ball was in the net at the other end when Chris Curran’s cross was returned to the area by Rory Donnelly for brother Jay to lash home.
Rory then pounced to make it 2-0 with a snapshot from Ross Lavery’s cross and, on 21 minutes, Lavery added his own name to the scoresheet when he spun away from Karl Hamill and charged forward before unleashing an unstoppable drive that found the net via the base of the far post.
An injury to Young saw Knockbreda briefly reduced to 10 men while substitute Lewis Irwin prepared to come on and the Reds made the most of their numerical advantage as Levi Ives’s long ball forward was met by Rory Donnelly, who once again teed up Jay for another firm finish.
Rory clipped a chip against the bar and, at the other end, Cafolla shot straight at Neeson, while the second-half was just a few minutes old when Rory was kept at bay by Ferguson. Jude Winchester was next to be denied, but the visitors’ stopper was powerless to prevent Jay Donnelly completing his hat-trick when he rose to meet an exquisite cross from his elder sibling.
Another Donnelly – Martin, introduced from the bench – was next to try his luck only to send his effort wide of the mark before the scoring was completed on 69 minutes when Daniel Hughes threaded Caldwell through and he produced an inch-perfect chip over the advancing ’keeper’s head.
Ferguson then made saves from Hughes and Joe Gormley as Cliftonville went in search of a seventh, while Neeson preserved his clean sheet with a smart stop from Stephen Cockroft’s free-kick as the Reds safely booked their place in the quarter-final draw.
