Larne 3-2 Limavady: 06 Dec 1997
Larne, who failed to beat Limavady on two previous occasions this
season, took the lead after just five minutes. A free kick on the
right was taken by McCormick, he drilled a low shot into the box
which beat the visitors defence to find the left hand corner.
Twelve minutes before half-time Limavady were reduced to 10 men. Law,
who had attempted to upend Mellon was shown a red card.
The visitors however did not let their heads drop and with 38 minutes
gone they were on level terms. A low ball in from the right found
Curran who took advantage of some slack defending to beat Miskelly
from 10 yards.
Four minutes into the second half Larne again got their noses in
front. As McQuillan chased a loose ball into the box he was fouled by
Damien Mullan, Harrison making no mistake from the resultant penalty.
Another penalty kick on 61 minutes saw Larne extend their lead.
Again Harrison was brought down, this time by keeper Platt who
escaped with a booking before McQuillan stepped up to send him the
wrong way.
Slack defending from the home defence allowed Limavady back into the
game five minutes later.
A corner from the left fell to defender King, who slotted it into the
corner past Miskelly. Limavady wasted a great chance to level the
scores after 69 minutes when a cross from the left fell to Moore who
missed an open goal from less than six yards.
Team: Miskelly, Mellon, Leckey, Fullerton, McKinstry, McDermott,
Looney, Harrison, McQuillan, McCormick, Lowry subs: Caddell, Elder,
Solomon
Referee: Frank Hiles (Newtownabbey)
Other Results
Ballyclare Comrades 1-1 Carrick Rangers
Distillery 2-1 Bangor
Dungannon Swifts 0-4 Newry Town
Carrick Rangers 0-1 Larne : 13 Dec 1997
The home outfit dictated the early pace and Samuel McFadden carved
the first opening. He picked out Kevin Rogan with a cross but the
striker completely miscued with a free header.
A clever switch of play by the influential Darren Lockhart completely
wrong-footed the Larne rearguard and enabled John Douglas to get in
for a shot which Paul Miskelly stopped at the base of the post.
Larne eventually got their act together midway through the half with
the talented Peter Lowry darting along the flank before cutting the
ball back into the path of David McCormick who somehow failed to make
contact with the goal at his mercy.
A goal finally came in the last minute of the half. Shane McQuillan
beat the offside trap and advanced to test Smyth with a cracking shot
which the keeper did well to parry, but he was unable to do anything
about the Larne striker's clinical follow up which made it 1-0 to the
visitors.
Carrick had a fine chance to level the match nine minutes after the
restart.
On loan midfielder Douglas, ignoring opposition appeals for hand
ball, threaded a diagonal pass into the path of McFadden who drilled
first time beyond Miskelly but also the left hand post.
The end-to-end pattern continued with McCormick failing to intercept
from Lockhart and McFadden won the race to the free ball with
Miskelly but the latter guessed right in the one-to-one.
Team: Miskelly, Mellon, J.Johnston, Fullerton, McKinstry, McMahon,
McCormick, Leckey, McQuillan, Harrison, Lowry subs: Solomon, Elder,
Caldwell
Referee: John McClenaghan (Waringstown)
Other Results
Bangor 1-2 Dungannon Swifts
Limavady United 0-5 Distillery
Newry Town 3-1 Ballyclare Comrades
Larne 0-2 Newry Town: 20 Dec 1997
Prediction 2-1, win for the Inver Reds.
Leaders Newry, without flu-victim Dessie Gorman, took time to settle
and had Stranney to thank for some fine saves in the opening minute.
A cracking drive from Myles after 16 minutes saw Miskelly unable to
hold the shot, McKinstry getting back to concede the corner.
Drake then threaded a great pass to Peebles wide on the right but,
with his forwards queuing up, he wasted the cross.
Two minutes later Stranney had to be quickly off his line to save at
the feet of McMahon after a neat interchange with Leckey.
Four minutes after the restart the visitors took the lead. A left
wing cross from Evans found the unmarked Woods who headed past the
stationery Miskelly.
Larne almost levelled three minutes later. McDermott passed the ball
to McMahon in the left hand corner. His low cross was headed goalward
by Lowry but Stranney appeared from nowhere to touch it round the
post.
Newry extended their lead on 65 minutes, this time Peebles was the
provider for Kenny to send a low drive under Miskelly into the
corner.
Miskelly then produced three superb saves in quick succession.
Larne kept pressing forward but were again denied by a tight Newry
defence 12 minutes from time. As McCormick lined up his shot Hall was
quickly in to clear the danger.
Team: Miskelly, Craig, J.Johnston, D.Johnston, McKinstry, McDermott,
Leckey, McCormick, McMahon, Harrison, Lowry subs: Fullerton, Mellon,
Adams
Referee: David Ross (Killyleagh)
Other Results
Bangor 0-0 Limavady United
Distillery 1-0 Carrick Rangers
Dungannon Swifts 4-5 Ballyclare Comrades
League table
Ballyclare Comrades 3-1 Larne: 27 Dec 1997
Prediction 2-0, win for the Inver Reds.
In a game that was watched by several Premier Division managers, it
took both sides some time to settle on a difficult, bumpy ground and
the opening quarter saw some scrappy play from both sides.
It was Larne who put together the first real move of any note when
from midfield Larry McMahon threaded a through ball to Francis
Harrison who set off on a run into the Ballyclare area only to be
brought down by a clumsy challenge from David Rainey.
Referee Tommy Deegan had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which
was coolly converted by Shane McQuillan.
Seven minutes later Larne full-back Jackie Johnston was booked for a
foul on Paul Orchin. The resultant free-kick, taken from just inside
the Comrades' half by Jamesie Kirk, found McCrae on the edge of the
area and his pace took him past Alan Craig before blasting home his
19th goal of the season.
His 20th came four minutes from the interval after Harrison had
become the fourth player to be shown the yellow card when he brought
down Mark Picking halfway inside the Ballyclare area.
The free-kick was pumped up-field and fell to McCrae on the left
touch-line. The rejuvenated striker skipped his way past two Larne
defenders before making his way deep into the Larne area from where
he rifled the ball past Paul Miskelly in the visitors goal.
Larne began the second period determined to get back on level terms
and almost did so seven minutes into the second period when McMahon
squeezed a great ball through to Harrison who saw his volley from the
edge of the box dealt with very capably by Damien McCusker.
Alan Campbell's side, however, began to regain the initiative and
started to probe more and more at the visitors' defence. Picking was
responsible for most of these forays on the Larne defence and it was
on one of these on the hour that he was brought down 25 yards out by
David Johnston, who was also shown a yellow card.
McCrae stepped up to take the free-kick clearly hoping for his second
hat-trick in two games but his otherwise perfectly struck shot, which
had Miskelly well beaten, hit the upright and rebounded to Pat
O'Connor who marked his return to the team and a four-match
suspension by tapping home the easiest of goals.
O'Connor could have added two more goals but was again denied by an
agile Miskelly; in the 73rd minute Picking sent in a high free-kick
which O'Connor headed goalwards but Miskelly dived to his right to
push the ball to safety.
Eleven minutes later Galbraith picked out O'Connor as he rose above
the Larne defence but his well directed header was tipped away
acrobatically by Miskelly.
With four minutes remaining and Ballyclare pushing forward, Larne
wasted the chance to make for a barnstorming finish after diminutive
winger Peter Lowry latched on to a loose ball in midfield but after a
superb run towards the Comrades goal a tame shot was easily collected
by McCusker.
Team: Miskelly, Craig, J.Johnston, D.Johnston, McKinstry, Leckey,
Looney, McMahon, Harrison, Lowry, McQuillan subs: Loughlin,
McCormick, Mellon
Referee: Tom Deegan (Drumaness)
Other Results
Dungannon Swifts 9-0 Limavady United
Newry Town 2-1 Distillery
League table
Larne - Dungannon Swifts: 29 Nov 1997
Postponed
Other Results
Bangor 1-0 Newry Town
Distillery 2-1 Ballyclare Comrades
Limavady United v. Carrick Rangers (postponed)
Table at the end of 1997
P W D L F A PTS
1. Newry Town ...................... 14 10 2 2 31 10 32
2. Bangor .......................... 14 8 3 3 23 12 27
3. Distillery ...................... 14 7 3 4 27 19 24
4. Dungannon Swifts ................ 13 6 4 3 32 23 22
5. Ballyclare Comrades ............. 14 6 2 6 20 23 20
6. Larne ........................... 13 5 1 7 16 26 16
7. Limavady United ................. 13 2 1 10 15 38 7
8. Carrick Rangers ................. 13 1 2 10 9 22 5
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