Linfield claim 51st Irish League
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Linfield claimed their 51st Irish League title at the weekend making it six titles in seven years for the Blues.
A win over second placed Portadown saw David Jeffrey’s men crowned deserved champions at Windsor Park and keep hopes of an historic double alive as they travel to play Championship side Newry City in the Irish Cup semi-final on Saturday 14th April.
Should Linfield win their Irish cup semi-final they will play Crusaders in the show piece final at Windsor Park. The Crues are scheduled to face Sligo Rovers in the Setanta Cup final and are the form team in the Premiership, winning four of their last five.
That run came to a halt at home in Seaview on Tuesday night when Portadown triumphed in a smash and grab raid in which the home side launched wave after wave of second half attacks that merited at least a point, probably three.
The defeat has tempered their European ambitions but the tie against Sligo should be a cracker with two in-form teams with great cup pedigree, Crusaders were beaten Irish Cup finalists in 2011.
The bottom of the league looks set for an exciting finish with four teams potentially, Lisburn Distillery, Glenavon, Dungannon Swifts, and Carrick Rangers battling it out for the one automatic relegation spot and the torture of a two legged play off with the second placed championship team.
Although ecstatic at the achievement of his players the Linfield boss used the victory as a platform to attack the plans by UTV to ditch Irish League football set to take affect at the beginning of next season.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph Jeffrey commented, “The Irish League football is an integral part of life for a lot of people. We’ve just got to look at our Welsh counterparts who cover ‘live’ games and to look at our friends down south where RTE also provide extensive coverage."
