Linfield moved eight points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership this evening with a spirited 1-0 win over champions Larne. It was the Blues’ first League win at Inver Park since December 2021, and just their second win there since Larne’s promotion in 2019.
With a depleted squad that seems to be becoming more stretched by the week, David Healy masterfully came up with a winning formula from the panel he had available. It was a big day for Dane McCullough, starting in the League for the first time since last December, and also for Cameron Ballantyne who made his first League start. Both players hadn’t played a great deal of football, but they certainly stepped up to the mark when called upon. They were replacing Matthew Orr (NI U19 International duty) and Charlie Allen (injured). Darragh McBrien also dropped out of the squad through injury, but one player returning was Chris McKee who was a late substitute.
The Blues started positively and with intent. Matthew Fitzpatrick hassling a defender to win Linfield a corner inside 25 seconds and a hard but fair tackle from Dane McCullough in the opening minutes set the tone.
After an early scare when Larne wing-back Joshua Seary played a one-two before fizzing a dangerous cross across the face of goal, the Blues had a good spell as McCullough drove forward before seeing a shot blocked, then Mulgrew had a great effort with a 20-yard dipping volley which flashed narrowly over the crossbar.
The opening goal then came a short time later, in the ninth minute of the match. Josh Archer played an intelligent pass around the corner to release Joel Cooper down the right. The formidable attacker cut inside, twisted and turned to make room for a shot on his stronger left foot which he buried into the bottom corner from just outside the box – his 11th goal of the season.
Cooper’s early goal gave the Blues something to hang onto. Despite that, Linfield continued to press Larne aggressively and tirelessly, not giving the hosts time on the ball. The Blues even looked like adding a second goal midway through the first half. Firstly, Joel Cooper fizzed a wicked cross to the front post; it was awkward for Larne defender Cian Bolger, but he did well to turn it around the post for a corner, from which Josh Archer eventually fired wide.
Matthew Fitzpatrick also threatened during this strong spell, leading a swift Linfield counter-attack before getting a shot off from the edge of the box. Larne goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson beat the effort away from goal.
The Blues did a great job of nullifying the formidable attacking threat that Larne possess, however the Inver men did go close once in the first half as a loose ball broke kindly for talisman Andy Ryan in a central position 25 yards from goal, from where he fired a low strike not far wide of the post. The Scotsman seemed to pull up in the process of hitting the shot, resulting in him being replaced by substitute Matthew Lusty.
Larne were dealt another unfortunate blow in additional time at the end of the first half when Preston North End loanee Joshua Seary landed awkwardly from a tackle which resulted in him hobbling off the pitch. Hopefully, it’s not as serious as it looked. Sean Graham was his replacement.
HT: Larne 0-1 Linfield
The home team made a third substitution at the break with Aaron Donnelly replacing Sam Todd at the back. Todd had suffered a head wound. The Blues then threatened within a few minutes of the restart as Kirk Millar crossed dangerously from the right and again it was knocked just wide of goal by a Larne defender. This time it was Sean Want, and the corner came to nothing.
A short time later, up the other end, a patient Larne move ended with Sean Graham teeing up a 20-yard strike from Chris Gallagher which was fiercely hit and could have been destined for the net had Chris Shields not courageously stuck his head in the line of the shot to block it.
As Linfield continued to keep a great shape, defending brilliantly both individually and collectively, chances in the second half were few and far between in the heavy rainfall. However, the Blues did have a scare on 75 minutes.
It came from a corner which Kirk Millar disputed, believing the cross which he knocked behind had already went out of play before it reached him. The resulting corner was won at the back post by Cian Bolger who headed it goalwards. David Walsh did well to get a hand to Bolger’s effort, but then it came the way of Aaron Donnelly who headed it on to Joe Thompson, but he was denied at close range by the evergreen Jamie Mulgrew who cleared it off the line.
Larne’s Scottish midfielder Joe Thomson went close again a minute later when a 20-yard free-kick was teed off to him and he struck it well but it went just over the crossbar.
As Larne looked to apply late pressure, the Blues’ defensive focus never dropped, and behind them was an engaging young goalkeeper, David Walsh, who was not shy in coming off his line to punch and catch balls into the box which helped relieve pressure. It was his biggest test yet since coming into the team a few weeks ago, but one he passed with flying colours, as the Linfield supporters behind his goal chanted his name in the closing stages.
There was one late scare, in the second of three additional minutes, as a wonderful pass over the top found Larne midfielder Sean Graham running in behind the Linfield backline. Fortunately for the Blues, Graham was unable to take it in and Walsh pounced to claim it and see the Blues over the line. It was a little bit of good fortune, but David Healy’s team had certainly earned it, fighting with everything they had from the first kick to last.
The win is a pleasing one for the Blues at a tough away venue, and the manner in which it happened will have made a lot of Bluemen and women very happy and proud. There’s now a gap of 14 points between Linfield and Larne, although the Inver men have three games in hand.
There’s no rest for the wicked as David Healy’s men will look to do it all over again as they aim to avenge last month’s derby defeat when they travel to The Oval to face Glentoran on Friday evening.
FT: Larne 0-1 Linfield
Written by Jamie Megarry.