NI Premiership Round-up - Week 18

George McMullan’s last minute penalty denied Portadown a victory over Cliftonville as the leaders twice came from behind to deny their hosts and salvage a barely deserved point.

McMullan had earlier been at fault for Portadown’ s second of the afternoon when his misplaced pass was pounced on by Darren Murray and calmly dispatched to add to Kevin Braniff’s first half opener.

The Belfast side pulled a goal back through Joe Gormley before Barry Johnston, for the second time in a week, hit the back of the net shortly after being brought on as a second half substitute to leave the sides level with ten minutes to play.

Portadown must have thought they had claimed all three points when Braniff headed home from a corner to make it 3-2 but Sean Mackle was adjudged to have fouled Ronan Scannell as he wriggled his way into the box and McMullan stroked home the spot kick to earn his side a point.

Their lead at the top of the Danske Premier League has been cut to five points as a Jordan Owens inspired Crusaders fought back from a goal down to run out 2-1 winners against Dungannon Swifts.

Crusaders were guilty of a series of first half misses and the home crowd were stunned when Josh Calhoon fired home his ninth league goal of the season to give the visitors a shock half-time lead. Owens then took over with two goals of exceptional quality to give his side a deserved victory.

The first came shortly after the break when a defensive clearance fell kindly and he superbly volleyed home from eighteen yards. He was denied a second only through an outstanding save from Niall Morgan but Owens grabbed the winner with a cheeky flick to cap a fine performance from the 23 year old striker.

Glentoran managed to put their off field problems behind them to overcome third placed Ballinamallard United who are now four points behind Crusaders.

The Glens players had refused to attend training this week in a dispute over unpaid wages but came out firing against the league’s surprise package and took an early lead through Richard Clarke on six minutes.

The home side capitalised on their early pressure and doubled their advantage eleven minutes later when David Howland got on the end of Colin Nixon’s headed cross but, perhaps hampered by their lack of training, faded somewhat after the first twenty minutes.

That could also be due to strength of the opposition who have proved to be one of the best sides in the division and unimpressed by reputation or venue, as evidenced by deserved victories at Solitude and Windsor Park.

The Mallards began to get their passing game going and pulled one back when James McKenna bagged his first ever Premiership goal before the half hour mark. Andy Crawford was denied an equaliser by an excellent Elliot Morris save and the Glens held on for a hard earned three points.

Linfield’s patchy form continued as they had to rely on a late equaliser by Gary Browne to cancel out Jordan Forsyth’s opener which had put bottom side Lisburn Distillery ahead on 38 minutes. The draw capped a bad week for David Jeffrey’s men as they lost out in the Antrim Shield final on penalties to Ballymena United on Tuesday night.

Ballymena could not build on their cup success as they were edged out by Donegal Celtic, the only goal coming on 36 minutes courtesy of former Drogheda and Athlone midfielder Shane Dolan.

Ciaran Martyn was on the score sheet as the former Derry City man got the first in Glenavon’s 2-0 victory over Coleraine that means it’s as you were for both teams with Glenavon in ninth and the Bannsiders holding on to fourth spot.