Inside Cliftonville's Irish Cup celebrations including star's 6am Magilton call

The dust, or champagne, is just about settling on Cliftonville's Irish Cup success. The Reds clinched the famous trophy on May 4 with a thrilling 3-1 win over Linfield after extra-time.

It saw the North Belfast club lift the trophy for the first time since 1979, and ended their 45-year hoodoo in the competition.

Ronan Hale's breakaway goal deep into injury time in extra time put the seal on their famous triumph, leaving manager Jim Magilton and assistant Gerard Lyttle to reflect on a little piece of history.

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It also kicked off celebrations which lasted several days, culminating in the club's end-of-season awards on Saturday night.

"I am just over the partying. It's fair to say they lasted a few days," joked Lyttle. "I think we earned them after what was a long season. From the start to now, and everything we had to go through, and what we had to prove.

"Thankfully we came out on top in the end."

He added: "Just before Ronan's goal we were under the cosh. Linfield were throwing everything at us and you start thinking Linfield twill score and take this to penalties, and they will do what Linfield do best. They had a free-kick dead centre at the death and you are always fearing the worst.

"But when we broke and Ronan ran from the halfway line, you start thinking 'This is happening'. Then the final whistle goes and it all goes off.

"Personally, I believed we were going to do it. It hit me when we went to Coleraine in an earlier round, and I had a feeling then that this could be the year we do it."

Lyttle lifted the lid on Cliftonville's celebrations, and admitted he was only getting time to reflect on the club's latest success now, some 10 days later.

He said: "It is only now that I am able to reflect on it properly. It has been chaotic since we lifted the cup. Don't get me wrong, I like a sociable drink, but I wouldn't say I am a big drinker. Honestly, I think I overdid it with the celebrations though.

"I went three days solid at it. I even missed the open top bus tour because I was asleep. I ended up sleeping for about two days, like a vampire. And nobody could get me up.

"My wife Kellie found me in the wee bar I have at the back of the house, and I had my suit still on with my tie around my head. There were bits of the suit scattered everywhere.

"I was put to bed, and I didn't rise for about two days. That's where I was when the bus tour was happening. Jim actually phoned Kellie and was asking 'Where is he?'. She told him she couldn't waken me.

"I was disappointed to miss that, but I was out of action. I couldn't get out of bed."

May 4's Irish Cup win saw Lyttle make it a full house of major trophies with Cliftonville, having won the Gibson Cup, League Cup and County Antrim Shield during his previous spells as coach and manager.

"I have completed everything now with Cliftonville. It is special. I am happy," he says.

"It is special sharing these memories with the fans. Forty-five years is a long time, almost as long as I have been on this earth. I am 46 now, and the club last won it in 1979."

Lyttle admits Cliftonville's Class of 2024 is different to the squad that won back-to-back titles in 2013 and '14 respectively. One player who featured in both is Joe Gormley, the club's record goalscorer who finally got his hands on the Irish Cup earlier this month.

And Lyttle says the man affectionately known as 'The Goal' was one of the hardest partiers following the win over Linfield.

He said: "I have known this boy since day dot, and it was me who brought him back from Peterborough. I think Joe was up there with me when it came to who celebrated a bit too much.

"I remember him actually FaceTiming me at 5 or 6am on the Sunday morning. He has a wee bar at his house, and I have one at mine. This is actually giving me flashbacks here!

"I remember him asking 'Should I phone Jim?', and I was like, 'Aye, FaceTime him mate'. The two of us lying there steam boats and talking to each other.

"He was on a mad bender, and even on Saturday there at the awards, he came out his shell. Joe has always been a WKD man, even at the do he was MC-ing and had the place in uproar, drumming on pool tables and everything. He was brilliant.

"Outside of that, the difference between this team and the 2013 and '14 team, in terms of personalities and madness, they are a like chalk and cheese.

"There is a real focus among this group. I am not saying the other group didn't have that; their success speaks for itself. I suppose they are different times now, in terms of professionalism and things. The current squad see what we want from them.

"We are disappointed at not winning the league. We were in the hunt against Larne and Linfield, two full-time clubs. We took it as far as could.

"And we have to be proud winning the cup in extra-time against a full-time team like Linfield."

With the celebrations finally subsiding, Lyttle says the focus has already turned to next season.

"The hard work has already started. We have added a couple of new signings and there will be more moves in the transfer market," he said.

"It is good to get back to focusing on football after the past week or so!"

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