Soccer

Baby Lorcan is my motivation: Cliftonville's Joe Gormley

Joe Gormley celebrates his goal with son Lorcan at Stangmore Park last week
Joe Gormley celebrates his goal with son Lorcan at Stangmore Park last week Joe Gormley celebrates his goal with son Lorcan at Stangmore Park last week

Danske Bank Irish Premiership: Cliftonville v Warrenpoint Town (Today, Solitude, 3pm)

AS far as embraces between father and son go, it doesn’t get any better for Joe Gormley and baby Lorcan.

Cliftonville’s record goalscorer was at the double in last week’s 3-1 away win over Dungannon Swifts and celebrated with his one-year-old son who was in the crowd.

Now 31, the Ardoyne native wants to play as long as he can so that his son will remember him starring for the Reds.

Gormley’s two goals brought his overall tally to 221 – having broken the club’s long-standing record of 170 goals in 2018, held by the legendary Kevin McGarry.

The gifted striker said: “I want to play as long as I can so Lorcan can watch me play. At the minute, he’s one-year-old and he’ll not remember much but the photos are good to have. I’ll be able to tell him that was the first game he seen me score. It was just a great feeling and it’s a moment I’ll cherish forever.

“I love people close to me watching me play every week, but especially my own son. When I started playing for the Reds I always wanted my son or my daughter to watch me playing.”

Gormley has shrugged off a nightmare six-month injury lay-off to return to his old goal-scoring ways this season.

He feels he’s nearing full fitness again with the win over Coleraine at the start of the season his first full 90 minutes since fracturing his elbow last year.

“Because I’m 31 now, it was in the back of my mind, was I going to start picking up injuries that would hold me back, but the physios at the club and the hospital helped me a lot and I just worked my way back.

“My arm is in good condition, even though it’s not fully healed but I’ve fallen on it a few times and it’s been okay.”

Gormley has won every honour since joining his childhood club from local Amateur League club Crumlin Star and formed a prolific partnership with Liam Boyce in the early years of the last decade.

While few teams will ever compare to the one moulded by the late Tommy Breslin in 2013 and 2014, Gormley feels the current one assembled by Paddy McLaughlin is laced with quality.

“It’s not fair to compare this team to the league-winning sides but I think it’s the best we’ve had since,” he said.

“It’s not a big squad but it’s a squad with so many talented players. Chris Curran is just unbelievable. He is nine-out-of-10 every week and then you’ve the likes of Ronan Doherty, Rory Hale (currently injured), Ryan Curran, Colin Coates coming in, Jamie Harney, you could go right through the team.”

Gormley will look to add to his three goals this season at home to Warrenpoint Town today as the leaders aim to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

Elsewhere, Coleraine Football Club begins a new era today after laying a new 4G pitch at Ballycastle Road as they host neighbours Ballymena United.

It brings the total number of 4G surfaces in the Premiership to four – Coleraine, Cliftonville, Larne and Crusaders.

While welcoming the news, Bannsiders midfielder Stephen Lowry said that the artificial surface will probably mean a change in style for Oran Kearney’s men.

Coleraine lost their first two league games of the season – both on artificial surfaces (Cliftonville and Larne) – but have steadied since then and are unbeaten in their last three games.

Glenavon, who have made an erratic start to their league campaign, will look to inflict a first league defeat on Linfield at Mourneview this afternoon, while Glentoran will want to keep up with the early pace at the top set by Cliftonville when they take on Crusaders at the Oval.

Tiernan Lynch’s Larne side will look to bounce back to winning ways after falling to Crusaders last weekend when they host fourth-placed Carrick Rangers at Inver Park today (5.30pm).

Bottom two Portadown and Dungannon Swifts face-off at Shamrock Park.

**Larne have been thrown out of this season's League Cup after failing to properly register one of their players who played in their win over Limavady United. It is understood Larne brought this to the attention of the NIFL. Limavady will now replace Larne in the competition and will play Dungannon Swifts.