DESPITE Saturday’s final day loss at home to Linfield, Cliftonville still have at least one qualifier for European football to look forward to before the end of the season.
The Reds, who are currently being looked after by two-time title-winning manager Tommy Breslin following the shock departure of Gerard Lyttle to Sligo Rovers, will host Glenavon in the play-off semi-final on Monday, May 8.
The Lurgan Blues rounded off their own league campaign with a 6-1 hammering away to final day title contenders Crusaders.
Michael Carvill and Paul Heatley were both at the double for the Seaview side in the first-half, before Jordan Owens and Matthew Snoddy rubbed salt in Glenavon wounds. Robert Norton mustered the visitors’ sole reply, and they will need to pick themselves up quickly ahead of the play-off semi-final.
Ballymena rose to fourth place in the table on the final day by virtue of their draw with Coleraine and Cliftonville’s defeat to the new champions. This advance means they will have home advantage against Dungannon Swifts in the second play-off semi-final, also to be played this day week.
Jamie McGonigle scored his 19th goal of the season to put Coleraine in front at Ballycastle Road before teenager Kofi Balmer, making his debut for the Braid men, levelled matters in the second-half. Coleraine will now turn their attentions to Saturday’s Irish Cup final against Linfield, who will be going in search of a league and cup double.
The final European play-off contestants Dungannon showed relegated Portadown no mercy at Stangmore Park. Terry Fitzpatrick and Chris Hegarty were the goal getters for the Swifts as they ended their league campaign with a fourth win in-a-row.
Elsewhere, Aaron Callaghan resigned as Carrick Rangers manager following their 4-1 defeat at Ballinamallard United. Ryan Mayse grabbed the Fermanagh side’s first two of the game before Ryan Curran and Ryan Morris also got in on the act. Daniel Kelly replied for Carrick Rangers.
A draw at the Oval was enough to ensure Ards finished a place above Glentoran in the Danske Bank Premiership table as the east Belfast men ended a disappointing campaign on a flat note.
Kyle Cherry put the visitors in front before Eric Foley’s 79th minute strike restored parity for the Glens. The hosts then squandered the opportunity to leap frog their opponents in the table when Jonathan Smith’s late penalty was saved by former Glentoran ’keeper Aaron Hogg.
