Distillery 3-0 Larne: 03 Jan
1998
Distillery,
still bent on promotion, recorded a solid win over
struggling Larne after commanding the first half taking
the lead in the 15th minute. The three points in
nightmare conditions keeps them in the first division
title race with a shout.
Matthew
Bartholomew, a six foot three inch Canadian from Berwick
Rangers, will never forget his Irish League debut for
Larne.
The
21-year-old beanpole midfielder, playing in a fierce
rainstorm was in action for barely 12 minutes when he was
shown the yellow card by referee George McKay for a
crunching tackle on Distillery's Gary Clifford.
Clifford was
also the victim when Larry McMahon was also booked for
another crude tackle in 25 minutes.
Between the
fouls, in the 15th minute, Darren Armour put Distillery
ahead. The nippy marksman dashed cheekily into the
goalmouth to prod home from point blank range as the
Larne defence got into a panic and failed to clear a
superbly placed Jim McCloskey corner from the right.
The Whites
showed two team changes. Andy Coulter replaced Damien
Kelly who has an ankle injury and Glenn Murray stepped in
for veteran defender John Heron, out with a hamstring
pull.
Distillery
were dominant all the way. And just on the half hour,
Larne had another player, Peter Lowry, yellow carded.
Larne played
for a while but Distillery were in command again. Good
football was practically impossible as sheets of rain
swept up and down the pitch.
Distillery
found their magic touch at the finish when late subs Mark
Anderson and Jim Murray crashed in goals to give the
scoreline a more realistic look.
Team:
Miskelly,
Craig, J.Johnston, D.Johnston, McKinstry, Bartholomew,
Mellon, McMahon, McQuillan, Morrison, Lowry subs:
McCormick, Campbell, Loughins
Referee: George
McKay (Strabane)
Bangor 2-1 Ballyclare Comrades
Carrick Rangers 1-3 Dungannon Swifts
Limavady United v. Newry Town (match postponed)
League
table 
Larne
0-3 Bangor: 10 Jan 1998
forced a fine save from Larne's
teenage keeper Stephen Mills.
After the break it was one-way traffic towards the Larne
goal.
Bangor opened the scoring after 48 minutes. Erskine
crossed from the right
to find Mitchell who hammered it in from close range.
Three minutes later the visitors went two up. A quick
throw from Surgeon
fell to McEvoy, he drifted past two defenders before
rifling a shot wide of
Mills into the net.
Bangor skipper Michael McKeown should have added a third
after 64 minutes,
when unmarked he picked up a Surgeon pass but failed to
find the target.
Larne's only noteworthy chance of the second half came
two minutes later.
Harrison rounded keeper Currie but his weak shot was
comfortably cleared by
Mooney.
With 19 minutes remaining, a cross from Bailie found
Surgeon unmarked and he
had little trouble finding the net from ten yards.
Team: Mills,
Craig, J.Johnston, D.Johnston, McKinstry, Bartholomew,
Mellon,
McMahon, McQuillan, Harrison, Lowry subs: McDowell,
Leckey, Loughins
Referee: Gerry Dobbin (Belfast)
League
table
Larne
1-2 Dungannon Swifts: 14 Jan 1998
A cracking goal from Jim Robinson 10
minutes from time sealed the points for
the visitors at Inver Park.
The game got off to a thrilling start when Larne took the
lead on 37
seconds. A throw from the right was flicked on by Mark
Looney into the path
of Larry McMahon who fired home from five yards.
The Dungannon equaliser came six minutes later. A free
kick from Paul McCann
on the right side of the area found Kevin Bates at the
back post and he had
little trouble directing his header wide of the keeper.
A poor clearance from Stephen Mills in the home goal fell
to Gary McKinstry,
he lofted the ball to Sammy Smith but with only the
keeper to beat he shot
wide.
With an hour gone Larne should have regained the
advantage, Looney threaded
a great ball to Francis Harrison, he beat the defender
but then instead of
shooting for goal he decided to go past Gavin Cushley who
made a fine save.
Eight minutes later McCann got in behind the home defence
but failed to get
his shot on target from just yards sending it well wide.
With 10 minutes remaining Tony Clarke played the ball out
to the right to
find Jim Robinson 20 yards from goal. He sent in a lovely
drive which gave
Mills no chance to secure the points.
Team:
Mills, Craig, J.Johnston, D.Johnston,
Bartholomew, McMahon, Looney,
Leckey, Caddell, Harrison, Loughins subs: Loughlin,
Mellon
Referee: Brian Kane (Newry)
League
table
Limavady
1-2 Larne : 17 Jan 1998
Limavady United started strongly and
were out to continue their new found
winning formula.
With just under nine minutes gone young Barry Cunning,
from deep on the
right, sent the ball to Michael Neill but his header went
over the bar.
Two minutes later the home side were in front. After
battle on the left
flank Thomas White emerged and sent the ball across the
goal for Barry
Curran who placed it into the left corner of the net.
Larne were by no means allowing Limavady to dominate and
were pushing
forward but were unable to break through. The closest
they came was in the
17th minute when the ball was blasted wide by Graham
Mellon.
On the half hour Limavady made a substitution. Curran
went off with an ankle
injury, replaced by Neil Mullan.
Near the interval the Roe Siders, who had a quiet half,
stepped up their
action but were unable to increase the score.
In the second half Larne started off in a more confident
mood and slowly but
surely got on top.
However it took them to the 75th minute before they were
able to grab the
equaliser. Larry McMahon sent home a cross from a free
and in the 87th
minute he scored again when he slotted home.
Limavady, who have had two wins under their belt, failed
to take their
opportunities and as a result suffered the consequences.
Team:
McConnell, Craig, Fullerton, Johnston,
McKinstry, McMahon, Looney,
Bartholomew, Loughlin, Harrison, Mellon subs: Leckey,
McCormick, Loughins
Referee: Robert Penney (Carrickfergus)
League
table
Larne 1
- 2 Carrick Rangers: 31 Jan 1998
Team:
Referee:
Ballyclare Comrades 2-2 Newry Town
Distillery 0-0 Limavady United
Dungannon Swifts 3-4 Bangor
Table at the end of January
P W D L F A PTS
1. Newry Town ...................... 17 12 3 2 37 12 39
2. Bangor .......................... 18 11 4 3 34 18 37
3. Distillery ...................... 18 9 5 4 34 21 32
4. Dungannon Swifts ................ 18 8 4 6 40 32 28
5. Ballyclare Comrades ............. 18 7 3 8 26 30 24
6. Larne ........................... 18 6 1 11 20 37 19
7. Limavady United ................. 17 4 2 11 21 40 14
8. Carrick Rangers ................. 18 2 2 14 14 36 8
League
table
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