NI Premiership Round-up - Week 28
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The top of the table clash between Cliftonville and Crusaders, scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon at Seaview, was called off at the last minute due to a loyalist flag protest outside the stadium.
Cliftonville entered the fixture with a healthy twelve point lead over there north Belfast rivals and the game was billed as a must win for Crusaders if they were to reignite their championship challenge.
The police took the decision to cancel the game after the scheduled 40 minute “white line” protest turned violent and, with many fans unable to enter the ground, it was deemed unsafe for the match to take place.
Across town Glentoran warmed up for their Setanta cup second leg with St. Pat’s by battling back to snatch a late equaliser against their great rivals Linfield, despite playing the last fourteen minutes with ten men.
Philip Lowry had given Linfield the lead on the stroke of half time and that goal looked to be enough to gain all three points for the Champions particularly when Mark Clarke was sent to the line after a late challenge. There was to be late drama however, when Glens substitute Martin Murray was brought down by William Murphy four minutes from time and Jay Magee slotted home the penalty to maintain his sides position in the top half of the table.
Coleraine completed a great week as they followed up cup victories over Ballymena United and Shamrock Rovers by again defeating Ballymena and moving into fourth spot in the table.
Curtis Allen’s first half goal, his sixteenth of the season, was enough to edge past their local rivals on a treacherous pitch at United’s Showgrounds and set up an intriguing second leg against Trevor Croly’s men on Monday night.
Drogheda United’s Setanta Cup opponents Portadown suffered a 2-0 defeat on the road against Dungannon Swifts that could signal the end of their ambition to gate crash the top six positions before the league splits at the end of March.
Gary Twigg was a notable absentee for the Ports who fell behind after half an hour to a superb Johnny Topley diving header and went two goals down when Chris Ramsey turned a cross into his own net.
Richard Lecky hit the post late on for Portadown but it would have been no more than a consolation as Dungannon moved to within a point of Glenavon in tenth spot in the table.
A Mark Farren goal was not enough to prevent Glenavon being beaten by bottom side Lisburn Distillery but the win failed to see Lisburn gain ground on Donegal Celtic as ten man DC held on to defeat Ballinamallard United 1-0 at Suffolk Road.
