REDS RECOVER WITH HARNEY BRACE
Jamie Harney struck twice as Cliftonville came from behind to kick their season off with victory over Carrick Rangers at Solitude.
Carrick, playing competitively under new boss Stuart King for the first time, grabbed the early advantage after just 12 minutes thanks to Lloyd Anderson's drive into the bottom corner after David Cushley's initial effort had been deflected into his path.
But it proved to be a short lived lead when, just five minutes later, Harney levelled for the Reds. A Jamie McDonagh short corner was knocked into the box by Levi Ives for Harney to break clear of his marker at the back post to nod home.
And Harney struck again just after the half-hour mark with what proved to be the winner. Again, the opening came from a McDonagh corner and again the former Colchester United man headed home at the far post.
The visitors squandered a chance to equalise just before the hour after an Alex Gawne cross was cleared as far as Ewan Kelly but he could only fire over from close range.
Joe Gormley had an opportunity to extend Cliftonville's lead later in the second half but his effort from outside the box fell wide while, in the last few minutes, recent Carrick return signing Stewart Nixon couldn't find the net after a poor clearance saw the ball land at his feet.
The visitors had one last chance to earn a point in stoppage time when Mark Surgenor's cross found Lee McNulty but his header was claimed by keeper Declan Dunne.
Cliftonville: Dunne, Ives, Harney, C. Curran, Hale, R. Curran, McDonagh, Addis, Doherty, Gallagher, Kearns subs Breen (not used), Foster (not used), Donnelly (replaced Ives 74), Gormley (replaced Kearns 63), McCurry (not used), Casey (not used), Turner (replaced Harney 67)
Carrick Rangers: Hogg, Surgenor, Ervin, Cushley, McMullan, Gawne, Kelly, Glendinning, Gibson, Tilney, Anderson subs Nicholl (not used), Forsythe (not used), McNulty (replaced Gawne 82), McGuckin (replaced Cushley 73), Mulholland (not used), Cherry (replaced McMullan 82), Nixon (replaced Kelly 63)
Carrick Rangers: Hogg, Surgenor, Ervin, Cushley, McMullan, Gawne, Kelly, Glendinning, Gibson, Tilney, Anderson subs Nicholl (not used), Forsythe (not used), McNulty (replaced Gawne 82), McGuckin (replaced Cushley 73), Mulholland (not used), Cherry (replaced McMullan 82), Nixon (replaced Kelly 63)
Substitution 
Substitution 
