Irish Premiership: Cliftonville 2-1 Warrenpoint Town

Jude Winchester's second-half brace grabbed a precious league victory for Cliftonville against struggling Warrenpoint Town at Solitude on Friday.

The Reds sprang to life after the break with the midfielder scoring on 59 minutes and again two minutes later.

Daniel Hughes pulled a goal back for Warrenpoint in the 89th minute.

The visitors forced a late save from Conor Devlin but the Reds held on to close to within two points of league leaders Linfield and Crusaders.

The unmarked Chris Curran fluffed a great chance to break the deadlock early on for Cliftonville, failing to connect properly with Levi Ives' pull back inside the box in the 16th minute.

Curran was involved again four minutes later, heading over from eight yards.

Martin Donnelly had the best chance of a dull first half, blazing over from 10 yards out on the stroke of half time.

The home side were much improved in the second period and Winchester tapped home the opener from close range after David McDaid's shot was parried by goalkeeper Aaron Shanahan.

Two minutes later, the ex-Kilmarnock man put the Reds 2-0 up, racing onto a through ball and flicking it over Shanahan before nodding home.

The visitors pressed hard in the last 10 minutes and deserved to pull a goal back with Hughes punishing a defensive lapse when the Reds failed to clear the danger from a corner.

They almost sneaked an equaliser right at the death but Devlin saved Sean Donnelly's 12-yard volley to seal victory for Cliftonville.