Carrick denied crucial league win
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Action from the Carrick vs Cliftonville match on Saturday played at Seaview. Gc0561
CARRICK RANGERS 3 CLIFTONVILLE 3: CARRICK Rangers came so tantalisingly close to securing their first victory at their temporary abode at Seaview, until as last gasp leveller from George McMullan gave visitors Cliftonville a point.
It was the Reds who made the brighter start with former Crusader Martin Donnelly, back in familiar territory, crashing a long range free kick off the bar, with Carrick's debutant keeper Paul Murphy well beaten.
Cliftonville, though, did inch ahead on 16 minutes when Diarmuid O'Carroll headed in McMullan's right wing cross.
Carrick almost cancelled that one out when a left wing cross was almost turned into his own net by Reds full back Ronan Scannell; keeper John Connelly just managing to scramble the ball clear. The North Belfast side were having the better of things, with O'Carroll anything but a fool, neatly setting up Liam Boyce whose shot flashed wide of the left hand post.
Carrick, nevertheless, levelled matters on 33 minutes when ex Reds striker Stephen O'Neill touched the ball past Connelly, after the visitors had failed to decisively deal with a long throw in.
Cliftonville, however, regained their lead on 44 minutes when Boyce, back from a stint at Werder Bremen, re-opened his account, slipping the ball wide of the helpless Murphy, after having been put through nicely by O'Carroll.
The second half continued in the same vein with keeper Murphy's right foot denying substitute Stephen Garrett while an opportunist strike from distance from McMullan flashed wide of the left hand post.
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