MULGREW OFF BUT THE REDS DON’T PROFIT

Cliftonville 1 Linfield 1

CLIFTONVILLE could only draw with 10-man Linfield at Solitude as the Blues leapfrogged Glenavon to the top of the table.

Joe Gormley’s opener was cancelled out by sub Michael O’Connor’s tap in as David Healy’s men showed character.

“The players deserve an enormous amount of credit, there were plenty of meaty challenges,”

Linfield coach Darren Murphy said.

“What we have to do is look across the games we’ve played and you see we’ve shown patience across 90 minutes. Even with 10 men here we competed very, very well.”

While chances were thin on the ground in the first half, it was cards galore as Ryan Catney, Chris Curran, Andy Mitchell and Andy Waterworth all went into Arnold Hunter’s book after Catney’s lunge on Daniel Kearns eight minutes in.

Gary Breen was then cautioned for fouling Jamie Mulgrew, before the Linfield skipper was shown a straight red on 26 minutes (above) for a raising his leg while dispossessing Jay Donnelly.

Gormley headed home on 76 minutes from Jamie McGovern’s long throw but O’Connor finished off Mitchell’s fantastic cross on 86 minutes.

CRUSADERS came from behind to defeat WARRENPOINT 2-1, leaving Stephen

McDonnell still in search of Town’s first point.

Maxim Kougoun gave them the lead on 37 minutes but Jordan Owens on the stroke of half-time and Philip Lowry in injury time grabbed the Crues’ goals.

GLENTORAN ran out 2-1 winners over DUNGANNON thanks to Callum Birney and Curtis Allen with Chris Hegarty replying for the Swifts.