CLIFTONVILLE received a major setback yesterday ahead of the Danske Bank Premiership resumption with news that star striker Joe Gormley is set for an extended period on the sidelines.
The 31-year-old, the Reds’ record goalscorer, is out of action after breaking his elbow in training.
The news will come as a blow to Cliftonville manager Paddy McLaughlin, who has had a busy week preparing his side for their trip to Ballymena.
Speaking after his backroom team and players were tested for Covid-19 on Thursday, the Derry man was hoping for a clean bill of health.
He feels that the comprehensive testing programme will help to allay understandable concerns in the Reds’ camp over the risks of contracting the virus.
“The players and the staff, the people who work within the ground, the officials and the opposing team and management… Anybody who has been involved in the game has had that fear of picking up the virus and taking it home with them, so hopefully this nullifies that threat,” said McLaughlin.
“Before now we hadn’t been tested and declared fit to play.
''You have to have symptoms to go and get tested yourself so this takes away that worry that the players, officials and staff would have had. Fair play to the league and fair play to the clubs for getting together and getting this done for us.”
After a two-week break, Cliftonville resume in fifth place in the table, three points below fourth-placed Ballymena, their opponents at the Showgrounds this afternoon.
Ballymena’s last league game – on January 2 – was an eye-catching 1-0 win over previously unbeaten pacesetters Larne, who now sit second in the table, two points behind Linfield with a game in hand.
The Reds returned to training this week and McLaughlin says his players – who signed off with a 2-2 draw against Crusaders before the mid-season lockdown – are: “looking forward to getting back to action.”
Cliftonville still have 25 league games to play, while Carrick Rangers have only played nine of their 38 league fixtures.
With so much of the season remaining, the Northern Ireland Football League is set to introduce sanctions for clubs that breach Covid-19 guidelines.
Fines will be handed out if clubs do not adhere to a list of guidelines which include numbers of agreed match personnel at venues, social distancing and use of face coverings in technical areas as well as misuse of changing rooms and inappropriate use of boardrooms for hospitality.
Clubs can also be penalised if there is continued non-compliance with social distancing in spectator areas when fans return to grounds. Point deductions will be considered by an independent panel for what is deemed the most serious breach – if a club fails to provide full disclosure in the event of a positive case.
McLaughlin is confident that clubs will operate within the guidelines.
“Cliftonville have been very strict up until now anyway,” he said. “We want to have a safe environment for players and staff and the club has been strict on it so the protocols won’t be new to us. “There would be no point in doing this test if we are going to break the rules.
“This is good for the players and the staff to be tested and there are strict protocols in place to make sure we stay safe.”
