CRUSADERS swept Cliftonville aside to clinch their second consecutive Danske Bank Premiership title last night – but they might have to wait a week to have it ratified.
An early Gavin Whyte strike and a second half brace from Paul Heatley earned the victory which maintained the Crues’ eight-point advantage at the summit with just two games to go.
A mathematical certainty it would seem, but second-placed Linfield could yet eat into that margin if they’re awarded points over the disciplinary row involving Portadown and the Irish Football Association.
Despite the magnitude of what was up for grabs, there were no nerves in Crusaders’ performance at Solitude last night and, indeed, it was Cliftonville who looked most jittery and there was no surprise when they gift-wrapped the opening goal to Whyte.
Reds goalkeeper Peter Burke’s pass caught centre-half Johnny Flynn off-guard and in nipped the tricky winger to fire home the opener.
Prior to that, Matthew Snoddy had seen an effort hacked off the line by Caoimhin Bonner and quite how the rampant Crues weren’t more than a single goal ahead at the interval left many inside the ground scratching their heads.
Heatley sent one attempt wide, Jordan Forsyth had a volley tipped over, Jordan Owens blasted inches past the post and Burke got his angles right to deny Heatley again.
After the interval, Martin Donnelly headed off the line from an Owens header before the visitors took a firm grip on things with two goals in three minutes – Heatley first ghosting in at the far post to make it 2-0 before racing clear of a static defence to clinch a confident third.
He was denied a hat-trick only by a smart stop from Burke and, though the Reds pulled one back through a deflected George McMullan drive in the closing minutes, the hosts’ tame surrender was long since complete as Crusaders comfortably saw things out to spark fervent scenes of celebrations among a delirious away support.
Adding another interesting dimension to proceedings was, as is almost par for the course in the unpredictable world of Irish League football, the possibility of nearest challengers Linfield being awarded three additional points pending the outcome of Portadown’s dispute with the IFA, which is expected to be heard next Tuesday night.
The Ports – who have appealed their initial £10,000 fine and signings embargo – maintain they have evidence to support their case but, should the appeals committee rule against them, the NI Football League could hit the Shamrock Park club with a 17-point deduction which would not only have recriminations in the relegation scrap but might also see Linfield’s tally boosted by three.
That being the case, Crusaders’ eight-point advantage at the summit might yet be reduced, meaning Baxter’s boys may just need to take care of business against Coleraine at the weekend to make absolutely sure.
Not that it dampened any spirits in north Belfast last night as the Crues celebrated a title win which they feel they have already wrapped up.
Elsewhere last night, Portadown beat Carrick Rangers 2-1 to ease their relegation worries but the defeat, coupled with Warrenpoint’s 4-1 win over Ballymena United, saw Carrick sink to bottom spot.
Glenavon beat Coleraine 3-0 to take control of the race for third spot, while Linfield had a big win over Belfast rivals Glentoran at the Oval.
Andrew Waterworth and Aaron Burns both hit doubles in a 4-0 rout but it wasn’t enough to keep the title race going, unless an IFA ruling goes their way.
