CA Shield: Crusaders beat Cliftonville 4-3 after extra time
Crusaders continued their defence of the County Antrim Shield as they beat Cliftonville 4-3 after extra time in a frantic game at Seaview.
Paul Heatley and Michael Carvill had scored for the home side either side of superb Rory Donnelly strike, before substitute Ryan Curran scored a late equaliser for Cliftonville to take the game beyond 90 minutes.
The first period of extra time saw Donnelly get his second, before Phillip Lowry pulled the home side level, with Jamie Glackin scoring the winner.
The game's opener came in just the 6th minute when Cliftonville's Stephen Garrett was caught in possession in midfield by Declan Caddell, and the ball trundled through to Heatley who carried it into the box and then placed it beyond Brian Neeson from around 15 yards.
Rory Donnelly replied for the Reds, scoring a superb equaliser in the 24th minute after collecting the ball wide on the right. He looked better positioned to cross, but from the edge of the box instead chipped Sean O'Neill, with the ball sailing 20 yards before settling into the far corner.
Early in the second half, Heatley fired wide from inside the box before David Cushley forced a fine save from Neeson with a flying volley from 20 yards as Crusaders pushed for a second.
It was Cliftonville's Damien McNulty who handed the Crues their chance after passing the ball straight to Heatley in the 52nd minute. The winger was left one-on-one with Neeson, but the keeper saved his shot. The ball then fell to Jamie Glackin who was patient enough to wait for the pass, finding Carvill to finish from close range.
Heatley looked certain to have extended the Crusaders lead in the 70th minute, but Neeson somehow turned his shot away from close range after Glackin's low cross caused a panic in the Reds' box, and Ross Lavery stung O'Neill's palms with a drive in the 78th.
Cliftonville persevered and in the 84th minute Jay Donnelly's cross from the left evaded everyone and Ryan Curran was unmarked to score the equaliser at the back post to send the game into extra time.
The first chance of the added time fell to Crues midfielder Carvill, whose half volley looped into the crossbar in the 93rd minute.
However, it was Cliftonville who found the net just 5 minutes later as Joe Gormley's long-range shot was saved, but it fell neatly into the feet of Rory Donnelly to stab home his second goal of the night.
Crusaders took just 2 minutes to equalise as Philip Lowry finished well from close range after Glackin's corner from the right.
Glackin was then played in behind the defence in the 105th minute. His first shot was well saved by Neeson, tipped onto the post - but Glackin was composed enough to poke the ball through the gap at the near post and make it 4-3 to Crusaders.
Elsewhere in the competition, Linfield beat Glentoran 2-1 aet, Ballymena enjoyed a straightforward 3-0 win over Ballyclare Comrades, and Championship leaders Larne produced an upset in getting past Premiership side Ards 3-1.