Clearer Water Irish Cup semi-final
Glentoran 1 Linfield 3
LINFIELD powered past a disappointing Glentoran side with a fine 3-1 victory in the first semi-final of the Clearer Water Irish Cup at the BetMcLean Oval.
The superb Kyle McClean grabbed a second-half brace for the Blues, after Joel Cooper had opened the scoring in the first half to send David Healey’s side into a final where they will meet Cliftonville or Larne.
Junior managed to grab a goal for Glentoran but it was too little, too late in the end.
It was an all-action start to the game with both sides pushing hard, and it was the visitors who had the first chance of the evening on nine minutes. A poor kick by Glens keeper Aaron McCarey fell neatly for Cooper, who passed to Josh Archer.
Archer played a drilled centre across the face of goal, but no one could get on the end of the ball as it passed within inches of the net and the home support gave a huge sigh of relief.
Glentoran had to wait until the half-hour mark for their first meaningful chance. Shay McCartan with a free kick that was played across goal by defender Aidan Wilson, but James Singleton missed from close range, when scoring seemed easier. Three minutes later they were punished by the Blues.
Singleton failed to clear a cross into the box from McClean, and his half-clearance fell perfectly for Cooper, who fired a thunderous strike into the net giving McCarey no chance.
Declan Devine’s men seemed to retreat into their shells in the final minutes of the first half, and this trend continued in the second period, which allowed Linfield to double their lead on 52 minutes.
Kirk Millar’s free kick was headed back into the box by Daniel Finlayson at the back post causing havoc in the Glens box. The ball eventually landing to McClean who volleyed through several defenders from 12 yards to make it two.
The goal seemed to spark Devine’s side into life. First, Shay McCartan fired a superb effort off the upright from outside the box on 75 minutes, then seven minutes later substitute Junior grabbed his side a lifeline.
Paddy McClean connected with Singleton’s throw in and played a near-post cross into the box which substitute Junior steered into the net with an acrobatic finish. However, just as the fans in green and white were getting excited, Linfield made sure of victory just two minutes after the restart.
Cooper’s corner was headed away, but only to McClean on the edge of the area, and he took a touch before firing high into the top left-hand corner of McCarey’s goal to leave Glentoran’s hopes of silverware in tatters.
Glentoran McCarey, McCullough, Wilson, McClean, Singleton, Burns, O’Connor, Sule, McCartan, McGinn, Donnelly.
Subs Webber, Marshall, Donnelly, Clucas, Murphy, McLaughlin, McToal.
Linfield Johns, Finlayson, Millar, McClean, Cooper, Hall, Clarke, Mulgrew, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Archer.
Subs Walsh, Newberry, Shields, Stewart, McBrien, Annett, Graham.
