Cliftonville Cruise Past Moyola Park 3-0 in International Club Friendly

Cliftonville continued their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Moyola Park in an international club friendly on July 15, 2026. The match, played at Solitude, gave the Irish League side valuable minutes as they fine-tune their shape ahead of the upcoming campaign.

The home side controlled possession from the opening whistle, with their midfield trio of Rory Hale, Chris Curran, and Ryan Corrigan dictating the tempo. The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when striker Joe Gormley latched onto a long ball, shrugged off a defender, and fired low into the net. Gormley, Cliftonville’s all-time leading scorer, showed his predatory instincts as he doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a near-post header from a corner.

Second-Half Control

Moyola Park, competing in the lower tiers of Northern Irish football, struggled to contain Cliftonville’s movement and width. The home side continued to create chances, and the third goal arrived in the 57th minute through substitute Ben Wilson, who tapped in from close range after a cross from the left. Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton then made wholesale changes, giving opportunities to youth players for the final 30 minutes.

The tempo dropped in the latter stages, but Cliftonville remained professional, keeping a clean sheet against a limited Moyola Park attack. The result extends Cliftonville’s unbeaten pre-season run to four matches, with manager Magilton pleased with the fitness levels and cohesion shown.

Pre-Season Bright Spots

Joe Gormley’s double was the highlight, but the performance of young midfielder Oran Donnelly also caught the eye. Donnelly, 18, showed composure on the ball and almost scored with a long-range effort that struck the crossbar. Moyola Park, meanwhile, will take positives from their defensive organization in the second half but lacked bite in attack. The friendly served its purpose for both sides, offering Cliftonville a confidence booster and Moyola Park a valuable test against higher-level opposition.