Northern Irish Premiership Round-up
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As the Premiership reached its penultimate weekend bottom side Carrick Rangers threw themselves a survival lifeline when they defeated fellow strugglers Lisburn Distillery on Friday night.
The victory was to provide only temporary relief however, as Dungannon Swifts triumph over Donegal Celtic the next day condemned Michael Hughes’s team to a quick return to the Championship.
With Linfield already being crowned champions the drama centred on the race for Europa league qualification where three teams battled it out for second and third place which would guarantee entry into Europe’s secondary cup competition.
Cliftonville moved into pole position for that honour as they comprehensively out-played Glentoran to claim second place in the league and set up a mouth-watering final game against third placed Portadown in Solitude next Saturday.
Portadown, who for so long where Linfield’s main challengers for the title, may find themselves outside the Europa league positions come Saturday if fourth placed Coleraine manage to overcome the champions in their outstanding fixture which would see them gain third spot on goal difference.
This would set up a grandstand finish in which all three teams,( Cliftonville, Portadown and Coleraine) would be involved in a three way shoot-out for two places that would guarantee a European adventure next season. The fourth place team would qualify for a Setanta Cup spot.
No such worries for Sligo Rovers Setanta Cup semi-final opponents, Crusaders, who warmed up for the second leg with a draw against Linfield at their home ground, Seaview, on Saturday afternoon.
The Hatchetmen have already booked their place in the Europa League by virtue of qualifying for the Irish Cup final where they will meet Linfield who have qualified for the Champions League, thereby guaranteeing Crusaders a European place even if they should lose the show piece final to be played at Windsor Park on May 5th.
The battle to avoid a relegation play-off spot that comes with finishing second bottom is no less dramatic as Glenavon, Dungannon Swifts and Lisburn Distillery fight it out to avoid a two-legged clash with Newry City to determine who will ply their trade in the Premiership.
Entering the final leg of matches Lisburn appear favourites for the play-off berth but should they defeat Ballymena United on Saturday they would put pressure on the other two to have a decisive outcome when they play each other as a draw would not be good enough for either.
