The brightest moment of an uneventful first half came just after the half-hour mark when Ryan McIlmoyle sent an effort against the far post from 20 yards.

Cliftonville's clearest opportunity arrived just a couple of minutes from the break only for George McMullan's low strike to drift just wide.

The early exchanges in the second half were equally as unproductive with a Ciaran Caldwell cross which Liam Boyce just failed to connect with being the highlight.

Perhaps the best moment of the game arrived after the hour mark when Kieran O'Connor evaded two defenders to find himself one-on-one with 'keeper Alvin Rouse only to fail to make the most of the opportunity.

But O'Connor wasn't to be denied with six minutes remaining when he capitalised on a couple of defensive errors to drive home what proved to be the winner.