Two goals from new boy Diarmuid O’Carroll saw Cliftonville breeze past Lisburn Distillery at a windswept New Grosvenor.

“It was an excellent three points, the elements made it hard for both teams,” said Reds boss Tommy Breslin in the calm of the dressing room area afterwards.

His side had the gale behind them in the first half, but apart from O’Carroll’s 10th minute goal they couldn’t capitalise against the battling Whites.

Breslin added: “I felt we should have had more, but having said that the team is always capable of scoring and sometimes it is actually easier playing against the wind.

“In the first 15 minutes of the second half Distillery put a lot of pressure on us, but as the game developed, we were hitting them on the break and that suited our play and the players that we had on the pitch.

“We are disappointed that we couldn’t have scored a few more goals and closed the game out a bit earlier than we did.”

Neal Gawley equalised on 57 minutes before O’Carroll lobbed home his second on 71 minutes with Stephen Garrett netting the third in added time to frustrate Whites boss John Cunningham.

“The result has come out 3-1, but after the first 10 minutes and up to the 60th, that is the best that we have played,” said Cunningham.

“Second-half, we started really well and got the goal, but there are too many players in defence and on the goalkeeping side making mistakes that are costing us goals.

“That has been one of the problems at this time.”