-
Warrenpoint Linfield BY DARREN FULLERTON BY DARREN FULLERTON Glentoran Coleraine
GLENTORAN manager Mick Mcdermott accepts there’s little or no room for error when this season’s title rivals go toe-to-toe for the title.
With only four points separating the top five with 11 games to play, the Irish League landscape will be peppered with high profile showdowns in the coming weeks.
The Glens, who lie just a point off leaders and Big Two derby rivals Linfield, host fourthplaced Coleraine at The Oval this afternoon.
And Mcdermott knows consistency will be key as the Gibson Cup front runners jockey for position heading into the final strait.
“There are some tasty games coming up and it’s great for the league,” he said.
“The lead at the top is changing all the time and games like this could go either way. It’s all about who shows up on the day and it will be the same again against Coleraine.
“People say it’s a massive game, but they’re all massive at this stage of the season.”
The Glens and Bannmen have shared the spoils twice in the league this season, drawing 2-2 at The Oval in August and 2-2 at the Showgrounds before Christmas.
Coleraine led 2-0 in East Belfast before being pegged back, while the Glens surrendered a two goal lead in the return fixture in early-december.
Mcdermott was far from content with Glentoran’s performance in last week’s 3-2 win over Queen’s University in the sixth round of the Irish Cup and he’s demanding a response.
The Championship outsiders twice hit back before Robbie Mcdaid completed a hat-trick to nudge the Ovalmen into the quarter-finals.
“We’ll expect a reaction after last week’s performance because I don’t think the players are satisfied with it,” he said.
“I’m not satisfied, the backroom staff isn’t satisfied and our fans probably aren’t either. We know we have to improve our level of performance.”
Glentoran boosted their squad with the signing of former Hibs striker Deivydas Matulevicius, while deadline day arrival Stewart Nixon is set to make his debut for Coleraine.
Bannsiders boss Oran Kearney said: “We have 11 games and they’ll be 11 cup finals. It’s up to us to get something from the game.”
LINFIELD may be sitting top of the table but boss David Healy believes the champions have another gear.
A midweek 2-1 win over Dungannon Swifts edged the Blues to the summit – one point clear of Glentoran with 11 games to play – but questions persist about recent form.
The Big Two giants had won just three of their previous nine games prior to Andy Waterworth’s match winning brace against the Swifts.
Asked if it’s a positive that Linfield appear to have another gear heading into the business end, Healy (above) said: “I think there is another one there.
“We’re still in and around getting there. Have we got there yet? No. We might not get there between now the end of the season, but the same could be said of other teams.”
Healy believes Linfield proved en route to lifting the title last year that they have the ability and character to
“dig out” crucial results.
Ahead of today’s trip to Warrenpoint Town, he said:
“The bulk of our players have been over the course and distance before and we know what it takes to dig out results.”
AN ACE OF A CHASE Mick Mcdermott is loving the heat of the title race with several teams battling it out
CRUSADERS’ New Year title push has secured Stephen Baxter the latest NI Football Writers manager of the month award for January.
It is the 20th time the seasoned boss, who has been at the Seaview helm for 15 years, has picked up the monthly gong.
The Crues, who lie third in the table just two points off leaders Linfield with 11 games left, have won their last seven games in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the process.
Ahead of today’s trip to Glenavon, Baxter said: “January was a hard month but the attitude of the players was superb and the likes of Billy Joe Burns, Rodney Brown, Philip Lowry and Jordan Owens have all been playing at the top of their game.”
On just four points separating the top five in the title race, he added: “It’s very exciting and this year is different because there are five or maybe six teams going for the title.
“We’ve been involved in title races with Linfield and Coleraine in the recent past and last year it was Linfield and Ballymena, but this year is incredible and very exciting for the fans.
“Clubs are pushing the boat out, but we want to mount a challenge and I was very happy with how we went about our business in January.”
Elsewhere today, Cliftonville - who lie four points off the top - will bid to keep pace with the title contenders when they host Dungannon Swifts at Solitude.