Cliftonville v Linfield - Irish Cup Final (2024)

  • Live Reporting (active)
  • Report

Summary

  • FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield (AET)

  • Ethan McGee heads in opener on 14 minutes

  • Sam Ashford equalises for the Reds after 52 minutes

  • Ronan Hale puts Cliftonville in front early in extra-time

  • Hale completes double in final seconds

  • Cliftonville win trophy for first time since 1979

Live Reporting

Stephen Alexander

  1. Red letter daypublished at 17:37 4 May

    17:37 4 May

    Cliftonville end 45-year wait for cup glory

    That’s all from us on a day when one of the mostoften-quoted statistics in Irish League football finally disappeared from thevocabulary.

    Cliftonville are Irish Cup champions for the first timesince 1979 – what a party there will be at Solitude tonight!

    We’re back on Monday for one final hurrah in an incredibleseason as Crusaders and Coleraine square up in the Europa Conference Leagueplay-off final.

    Thanks for your company today. Bye for now.

  2. 'The day belongs to us'published at 17:36 4 May

    17:36 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Cliftonville manger Jim Magilton speaking after the game:

    "You talk about effort, you talk about pride, you talk about determination, against all the odds if you like, our keeper and our centre-half, two people that would be unbelievable for us this season [go off injured], then we had to really dig in, go a goal behind but what can you say about a group of players that have just done so much today, it's just unbelievable, I'm immensely proud.

    "I have to add that David Healy was magnanimous in defeat, it's so tough to lose a final but they were so gracious and I appreciate that but the day belongs to us and the day belongs to the fans and the players, it's just monumental."

  3. Postpublished at 17:27 4 May

    17:27 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Chris Curran and Joe Gormley have the honour of lifting the Irish Cup trophy and writing a new chapter in Cliftonville's history.

    What a day for the north Belfast side!

  4. Postpublished at 17:25 4 May

    17:25 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    'When the Reds go up to lift the Irish Cup, we'll be there,' sing the Cliftonville fans.

    That moment is finally about to become reality - for many of them, for the first time in a generation.

  5. Postpublished at 17:24 4 May

    17:24 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Amid some good-natured boos, Linfield's players receive a tremendous ovation from the Cliftonville supporters as they collect their runners-up medals

    The Reds fans know exactly how difficult a match the Blues gave their side.

  6. 'An amazing day' - Rory Halepublished at 17:23 4 May

    17:23 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Player of the match Rory Hale speaking after the game:

    "It's brilliant! An amazing day, an amazing performance, fair play to everyone it was some shift.

    "Look at that for a crowd today, I came off with cramp but that extra singing there gave us an extra push. It gives the boys an extra push. We were dropping like flies in extra time but you just see the crowd getting us rallied up again. Outstanding!

    "Linfield didn't make it easy. That's why they're up there with the best teams in the country. I always say at the start of the season, if you finish above Linfield, you'll win the league. We knew it was going to be a tough game, we were underdogs but we knew it was going to be a good game plan from Jim [Magilton] and it paid off.

    "I knew I had to put in a shift, that's my game. Then the quality on the ball comes second. If I wasn't everywhere then you'd know there was something up with me."

  7. Postpublished at 17:22 4 May

    17:22 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Rory Hale receives his man of the match award amid one of the loudest cheers of the day.

  8. Watch: Hale and hearty!published at 17:20 4 May

    17:20 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Ronan Hale seals victory for Cliftonville as he slots into an empty net to complete an extra-time double.

  9. 'Cliftonville did more'published at 17:17 4 May

    17:17 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    David Jeffrey
    Former Larne, Linfield & Ballymena manager on BBC Two NI

    It was a tremendous match.

    Linfield gave so much and worked so hard but you've got to say on the day Cliftonville did that little bit more.

    Linfield didn't do enough and the strike from Ronan Hale, we said we wanted something spectacular and my goodness me, what a fabulous strike.

  10. Postpublished at 17:17 4 May

    17:17 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Lauren McCann
    BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

    The outpouring of emotion at the final whistle from the players and supporters alike shows you just how much this means.

    The long wait for Irish Cup success is finally over for Cliftonville!

    They had to do it the hard way, but I'm sure it was worth the wait.

  11. History makers!published at 17:14 4 May

    17:14 4 May

    FT: Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Paul Leeman
    Former Glentoran captain on BBC Two NI

    These players today have created history, congratulations to them.

    Commiserations to Linfield.

  12. Postpublished at 17:13 4 May

    17:13 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Linfield's players are slumped, distraught, on the pitch.

    It will be of little consolation to them at this stage that they played their part in one of the best Irish Cup finals in recent memory.

  13. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:11 4 May

    17:11 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    That's it!

    There's barely time to re-start and 45 years of Irish Cup heartache are over for Cliftonville!

    Incredible scenes of delirium among the Reds' supporters!

  14. 'Unbelievable!'published at 17:10 4 May

    17:10 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Paul Leeman
    Former Glentoran captain on BBC Two NI

    What a moment in this cup final.

    He's celebrating 45 yards from goal!

    Unbelievable moment from Ronan Hale.

  15. 'Rory Hale is my player of the match'published at 17:10 4 May

    17:10 4 May

    Cliftonville 3-1 Linfield

    Paul Leeman
    Former Glentoran captain on BBC Two NI

    For me, Rory Hale is the player of the match.

    The moments of quality in this game all came from him.

  16. GOAL - Cliftonville 3-1 Linfieldpublished at 17:08 4 May

    17:08 4 May

    Ronan Hale (120 mins)

    It's all over now as Cliftonville break from the corner.

    Chris Johns brings down Ben Wilson but the ball breaks to Ronan Hale who, as he is inside his own half, is clearly onside and he races clear - while already celebrating - to run the ball into the Linfield net!

  17. Postpublished at 17:08 4 May

    17:08 4 May

    Cliftonville 2-1 Linfield

    Linfield have a corner - keeper Chris Johns is up for it...

  18. Postpublished at 17:07 4 May

    17:07 4 May

    Cliftonville 2-1 Linfield

    Cliftonville skipper Rory Hale has been named man of the match - it's hard to disagree after a tireless shift.

  19. Postpublished at 17:06 4 May

    17:06 4 May

    Cliftonville 2-1 Linfield

    Cliftonville break at pace and Ben Wilson crosses for Ronan Hale but the striker's shot is brilliantly blocked by Josh Archer.

  20. Postpublished at 17:04 4 May

    17:04 4 May

    Cliftonville 2-1 Linfield

    There will be five minutes of stoppage time at the end of this half.

    It's now or never time for Linfield.

Cliftonville v Linfield - Irish Cup Final (2024)
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