Win edges Reds closer to title

Published Saturday, 16 March 2013

Leaders Cliftonville stole a march on Crusaders to move 17 points clear of their north Belfast rivals after a 3-1 over Glenavon at Mourneview Park in the Danske Bank Premiership on Saturday.

Cliftonville's Liam Boyce celebrates a goal. (© Presseye)

PICTURE

GALLERY

Cliftonville's Ciaran Caldwell celebrates scoring his second goal against Glenavon.

Glenavon's Guy Bates with Cliftonville's Ciaran Caldwell.

Glenavon's Marc Brown with Cliftonville's Stephen Garrett.

Ciaran Caldwell netted a brilliant opener for Tommy Breslin's side in the 41st minute, using his heel to deftly flick Ryan Catney's cross past Davy O'Hare.

Caldwell's second owed more to good fortune than sublime skill, as he pounced on Joe Gormley's miscue to finish from close range.

Liam Boyce barged his way through the hosts defence to seal the win with Cliftonville's third goal in the 70th minute, although Glenavon's Mark Farren capitalised on some lacklustre defending to net a consolation 13 minutes from time.

In the game at Suffolk Road Donegal Celtic emerged victorious in the battle of the league's basement sides with a 2-1 win over Lisburn Disitllery.

A neat flick-on from Mark Miskimmin put Stephen O'Neill through to slot home the opening goal in the 13th minute, before Sean Cleary doubled DC's lead with a fine curled effort in the 63rd minute.

Johnny Harkness gave the Whites some hope with a neat finish four minutes later to make it 2-1, but DC held on for a deserved win.

The result means that Distillery are now eight points adrift at the foot of the league table, although Tim McCann's side do have two games in hand.

Ballinamallard United's hopes of claiming a place in the top six ahead of the league split suffered a blow as they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Glentoran at the Oval.

After a turbulent start to the weekend which saw the Glens' reserve team stripped of the Steel and Sons Cup for fielding an ineligible player, Richard Clarke turned the mood around with a delightful chip after Mallards keeper Alvin Rouse made a hash of a clearance in the 33rd minute.

Martin Murray netted the second from an Andrew Waterworth cross in the 52nd minute, and Waterworth got on the scoresheet himself 13 minutes from time when he cut in from the right and brushed past the visiting defence before lashing home from a tight angle win.

While the Mallards must wait to confirm their spot in the top half of the table - Portadown's 0-0 draw with Ballymena United on Saturday means that, mathematically at least, they can still catch the Co Fermanagh side - Coleraine confirmed their spot with an impressive 3-1 win away to Dungannon Swifts.

The hosts took the lead in unlikely fashion when Matt Hazley netted directly from a corner in the 19th minute, but the Bannsiders battled back superbly, with a bullet header from Gareth Tommons a minute later putting them back on terms.

Stephen Lowry blasted the ball into the roof of the net for his sides second in the 37th minute, before Curtis Allen headed home from a Ryan McIlmoyle corner to seal a victory that guarantees Coleraine a top-half finish ahead of next weekend's league split.