Soccer

Crusaders advance to Co Antrim Shield semis as Cliftonville throw away lead

Paul Heatley (right) grabbed two late goals from the bench to seal Crusaders' Co Antrim Shield semi-final berth
Paul Heatley (right) grabbed two late goals from the bench to seal Crusaders' Co Antrim Shield semi-final berth Paul Heatley (right) grabbed two late goals from the bench to seal Crusaders' Co Antrim Shield semi-final berth

Toals Bookmakers Co Antrim Shield quarter-final: Cliftonville 2 Crusaders 3

TWO brilliant late finishes from super sub Paul Heatley clinched Crusaders’ semi-final berth in this season’s Co Antrim Shield semi-finals at Solitude last night.

Barry Gray’s Cliftonville side were left kicking themselves as they squandered a 2-1 advantage with six minutes of normal time remaining.

Just as it seemed the Reds would see out the game after two wonderful goals from Joe Gormley – one in each half – up stepped Heatley to seal an unlikely victory for the Hatchetmen.

The Shore Road men edged in front after a disputed penalty award on 14 minutes that was rifled home by David Cushley.

Much to everyone’s surprise, referee Andrew Davey pointed to the spot after a Crusaders throw in was launched high into the Cliftonville penalty area.

A clutch of Crusaders and Cliftonville players attacked the looping ball, all of them were wearing short sleeves, which probably caused the confusion in the official’s mind.

The Reds fans behind the goal were convinced it hit a Crusaders player’s arm, and judging by the strenuous protests of the home players, they might well have been right.

But Cushley didn’t ask any questions as he drilled the ball down the centre of the goal with Reds ‘keeper Brian ‘Bam’ Neeson already diving to his left.

The home side were desperately lacking a cutting edge when front pair Rory Donnelly and Joe Gormley – still a work-in-progress partnership – fashioned an equaliser between them.

It was a simple, direct goal that the Crusaders defence rarely concede.

Neeson launched the ball high towards Rory Donnelly and his clever flicked header fell invitingly into Gormley’s path and the Ardoyne man bagged his eighth goal of the season with a tidy finish past stand-in ‘keeper Michael Dougherty.

In a first half that had its moments without catching fire, Neeson made an astonishing one-handed save to deny Jordan Owens six minutes before the interval.

Gormley nearly grabbed his second of the night three minutes after the break but his back post header, from Tomas Cosgrove’s fine cross, came back down off the crossbar.

Moments later, Cushley was denied at the other end by the woodwork following another fine cross from the raiding Sean Ward.

Gormley did, however, find the net again on 68 minutes for the Reds, capitalising on a terrible defensive header from Coates.

Indecision in dealing with the subsequent loose ball from substitute Billy Joe Burns saw it fall to chief predator Gormley and the Reds striker’s early drive from 20 yards found the bottom corner of Crusaders net which put the home side in front for the first time.

But the Crues grabbed an 84th equaliser after second half substitute Paul Heatley got on the end of Owens’ clever knock-down to find the corner of the net.

Four minutes later and the home side threadbare at the back, Heatley hammered past Neeson from an acute angle that sent the travelling supporters wild.

Just when the script seemed written for Joe Gormley another hero emerged in the form of Paul Heatley.

Meanwhile, Ards upset Linfield last night in the other quarter-final to join Crusaders, Carrick Rangers and Ballymena United in the last four of the competition.

David McAllister grabbed the winner in the 48th minute for Colin Nixon’s men and they managed to hold on for a famous win. The Co Antrim Shield semi-finals are scheduled for November 28.

Ciftonville: B Neeson, J McGovern (S Garrett 60), L Ives, G Breen, J Harney, L Bagnall, J Winchester, T Cosgrove, J Donnelly, R Donnelly (D Hughes 79), J Gormley Subs not used: C Curran, M Donnelly, R Lavery

Crusaders: M Dougherty, S Ward, H Beverland, C Coates, R Brown, P Lowry (BJ Burns 56), J Forsythe, M Snoddy, J Owens, M Carvill (G Whyte 22), D Cushley (P Heatley 77) Subs not used: C McClean, R Nimick

Referee: A Davey

Ends//