Joel Cooper’s second-half brace ensured Linfield moved within two points of a 57th Irish League title with a 2-0 win over Glenavon at Windsor Park this afternoon.
The Blues might even be crowned champions before their next match which is against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park on Monday 24 March. Mathematically, only a Glentoran win against Larne on Tuesday evening can keep the title race alive, and the Glens would also have to beat Crusaders in their final pre-split fixture. Current champions Larne are mathematically out of the title race following their 1-1 draw with Coleraine this evening. The Premiership has never been won before the split since its inception in 2008/09, but the Blues will be hoping to change that stat in the next ten days.
After defeating Crusaders 2-0 at Seaview in their last outing eight days ago, Linfield’s starting eleven featured three changes as Euan East and Ethan McGee dropped to the bench, whilst Kyle McClean was unavailable for selection, as Cameron Ballantyne, Kirk Millar and Callumn Morrison were handed starting berths. New signing Alex Gorrin was named as a substitute after signing for the Blues during the week.
Glenavon, meanwhile, were without Michael O’Connor after the forward received his fifth yellow card of the season in Wednesday night’s thrilling 3-3 draw away to Glentoran. Another former Linfield player – Niall Quinn – also missed out due to an injury sustained in the same match. Regular goalkeeper Tadhg Ryan was also unavailable through an elbow injury. Influential central defender Barney McKeown returned from a one-match suspension to start.
The first half-an-hour of this match was very much forgettable, with very little noteworthy action. Linfield boss David Healy named an attacking team, but his side didn’t click in a lacklustre first half. The first real dangerous attack from either team came from Glenavon fifteen minutes before the break when David McDaid won the ball high up the pitch and played in Peter Campbell who opted to square the ball, but it came to nothing and in hindsight will have been kicking himself for not pulling the trigger from such a dangerous position.
The Blues’ only shot in the first half came in the 32 minute when Callumn Morrison poked the ball into Josh Archer in space in a central area 20 yards from goal, but he dragged a low shot wide of the post. Minutes later, Archer almost got in on the end of Morrison’s low cross, but it was well taken by the goalkeeper following a slight deflection.
Linfield ‘keeper David Walsh was called into action in stoppage time at the end of the first half as the Blues only half cleared a Glenavon corner and it came out to full-back David Toure on the edge of the box; he struck one sweetly, but Walsh was equal to it.
HT: Linfield 0-0 Glenavon
Unsatisfied by the Blues’ first-half display, David Healy made some changes to his team at the break. The Blues changed shape from a back three to a four, with Euan East coming on at left-back at the expense of Cameron Ballantyne, whilst Spanish midfielder Alex Gorrin was introduced for a debut, becoming the first Spaniard to represent the club. He replaced Josh Archer in the middle.
Although David Walsh was called into a smart stop, pushing Peter Campbell’s 25-yard low drive around the post three minutes into the second half, the Blues instantly looked a better team following the half-time changes.
The Blues took the lead seven minutes into the second half when Euan East broke down the left and delivered a dangerous cross which came off Glenavon left-back Len O’Sullivan before falling kindly for the alert Joel Cooper who hammered the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
Then, fast-forward another seven minutes and the Blues had strong penalty appeals waved away after Chris Shields’ cross appeared to strike a Glenavon hand inside the box. Nevertheless, the ball still came through to Kirk Millar at the back post area and his curling effort back across goal flashed agonisingly wide of the far post.
Paddy McLaughlin’s resurgent Lurgan Blues’ big chance to equalise came in the 66th minute when Linfield couldn’t fully clear Peter Campbell’s free-kick delivery and it landed kindly for Glenavon’s highly-rated teenage winger Christopher Atherton around the penalty spot, but he fired over. It was almost an immediate impact, having only entered the action a minute before the chance.
Linfield almost doubled their lead ten minutes before time as Jamie Mulgrew went through after being gifted the ball by Glenavon ‘keeper Byrne, but defender Barney McKeown did well to get back and put in a goal-saving block. The ball went for a corner kick, from which Kirk Millar’s effort was tipped onto the crossbar.
The Blues then sealed the victory with an elusive second goal which arrived from the penalty spot on 83 minutes. As a corner came in, the referee Evan Boyce spotted a push inside the box by Glenavon ‘keeper Mark Byrne on Kieran Offord who was stood just in front of him. The referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Joel Cooper stepped up and sent the ‘keeper the opposite direction as he reached the 20-goal mark for the season.
FT: Linfield 2-0 Glenavon
Linfieldfc.com Man of the Match: Joel Cooper
HIGHLIGHTS