NI Premiership Round-up - Week 22
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The four major Belfast clubs occupy the top positions in the league after the final round of matches in 2012 as Cliftonville, Crusaders, Linfield and Glentoran all recorded victories to set up a titanic battle for the Danske Irish Premiership in the New Year.
Goals from Liam Boyce and George McMullan gave Cliftonville a routine 2-0 victory over Dungannon Swifts ensuring a bountiful Christmas period for the Reds with four wins and a draw in December gaining them a nine point lead with a game in hand over their two closest rivals, Linfield and Crusaders.
Crusaders had to dig deep when they went a goal down to Ballinamallard United at Ferney Park when David Kee tapped in an eighteenth minute opener for the Fermanagh side. Gary McCutcheon levelled from a penalty after Stephen Feeney handled and Jordan Owens fired in from a rebound to put the Crues ahead on 39 minutes.
Declan Caddell blasted in a late third to seal an impressive victory for Stephen Baxter’s men as they get ready to welcome Portadown to Seaview on New Year’s Day.
Linfield warmed up for their showdown with Cliftonville on Tuesday with a comfortable victory away to Glenavon which moves them ominously into third position, although they do trail the leaders by thirteen points.
The Blues took a 32nd minute lead through Brian McCaul's penalty after Kris Lindsay's foul on Matt Tipton.
Tipton has endured a season disrupted by injury since his move from Portadown but the former Dundalk striker has started the last two games and repaid his manager’s faith by opening his account with a second half strike.
Ross Clarke rounded out the victory as Glenavon endured their second defeat of the Christmas period and sit in ninth position with a visit to Donegal Celtic up next for Gary Hamilton’s men.
Coleraine were the big loser’s of Saturday’s games when a 2-0 defeat to Portadown saw them slip to fifth as goals from Richard Lecky and former Monaghan United defender, Brian Gartland, made it two wins in three days for Ronnie McFall’s men.
A 5-0 victory over Donegal Celtic at the Oval moves Glentoran up to fourth place while Lisburn Distillery remain rooted to the foot of table as they had a three goal lead pegged back by Ballymena United, which was only Ballymena’s first point from their last seven games.
