St Joseph's beat Cliftonville to set up Rovers tie

BBC News

17-07-2025

St Joseph's edged past 10-man Cliftonville 3-2 after extra time in the second leg of their Uefa Conference League first qualifying round tie at Solitude.After a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Gibraltar, Pablo Rodriguez scored within the first minute to put St Joseph's in front on the night and in the tie.The Reds roared back with Michael Glynn equalising before half-time and Joe Gormley putting them in front after Odhran Casey was sent off following two yellow cards.St Joseph's eventually made their man advantage count as Juanma's arrowed effort equalised for the visitors and substitute Hugo Jesslen scored an extra-time winner as the Gibraltar side won 5-4 on aggregate.They will now face League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers in the next round.
Reds react to St Joseph's early goal
It was a nightmare start for Cliftonville as they fell behind in the first minute.Rodriguez controlled a pass from Facundo Alvarez, beat Shaun Leppard and finished low past Lewis Ridd.The Reds responded well to going behind and almost equalised on five minutes when Casey rose highest to meet Rory Hale's corner, but his header came back off the crossbar.Gormley had a low strike saved by Bradley Banda whilst another effort from the striker whistled just wide.Their persistence finally paid off on 32 minutes when Glynn drilled the ball low into the far corner.Hale's fierce effort from outside the box was then diverted behind by Banda as the sides went in level at the break.
Reds fall short after Casey's sending off
The Reds continued to dominate early in the second half with Banda called into action once more to tip long-range efforts from Jonny Addis and Casey over the crossbar.Their momentum was curtailed just before the hour mark however, as like in the first leg, they were reduced to 10 men as Casey received a second yellow card for a foul on Alvaro Rey.Cliftonville rallied and went ahead five minutes later. Hale did well to keep Luke Conlan's cross in play with his acrobatic pass falling to Gormley, who produced an overhead kick from close range.Their lead lasted all of three minutes as St Joseph's captain Juanma rifled home an equaliser from the edge of the box.Substitute Conor Falls then thought he had won the game for Magilton's side in injury time. Conlan fed the striker, whose poked effort was turned onto the post by Banda, whilst at the other end, Javi Forjan had a late goal ruled out for offside.As they did in the first half of normal time, St Joseph's struck early in extra time, with Jesslen getting a vital touch to divert a cross from the left beyond Ridd, with St Joseph's hanging on to progress.