Cliftonville's emphatic 7-1 victory over Carrick Rangers at Solitude on Saturday has raised hopes that the club's difficult start to the Irish Premiership season may be over. The win marked the first time the Reds have scored seven league goals in nearly 12 years, since a 7-0 defeat of Ballymena United in November 2014.
Striker Brian Healy finds form
Summer signing Brian Healy, who joined from H&W Welders in January, scored twice in the rout and now has four goals in his last two matches. Manager Jim Magilton substituted Healy after an hour to keep him "hungry" ahead of a busy fixture schedule, including a ToalsBet Senior Shield semi-final against Bangor on Tuesday and a league meeting with defending champions Larne on Friday. Magilton expressed confidence in the striker, saying "there is so much more to come from him."
Goals spread across the team
The victory also showcased a more balanced attack. Liam McStravick opened the scoring and earned man-of-the-match honors, captain Rory Hale netted his second goal in as many games, Ben Quinn added his fifth of the season, and substitute Rhyss Campbell scored his first goals of the campaign. The variety contrasts sharply with the previous six league defeats in which Cliftonville managed only two goals total.
Momentum building across competitions
Cliftonville have now won three consecutive matches in all competitions, scoring 12 goals in the process. The run includes a Shield win over Glentoran, a League Cup victory against Portadown, a league win over Dungannon Swifts, and the Carrick Rangers thrashing. The results have lifted the team to fifth in the table, but the upcoming fixtures will test whether the revival is sustainable.
