MURPHY: IT’S HARD TO LUKE PAST THE SAINTS

ALAN MURPHY reckons Dunmurry Young Men need to produce a near flawless run-in to the season if they are to pip St Luke’s to the Division 1C title.

The Napier Park men are currently two points behind St Luke’s following Saturday’s inactivity but have been in great form recently, their Clarence Cup defeat to Dromara the only blip in a long six-game winning streak in the league.

Nevertheless, with a game in hand on his team, Davy Munster’s St Luke’s now control the destiny of the title.

Dunmurry Young Men, by far the highest goalscorers in the Intermediate bloc, are still the only team to inflict defeat on the west Belfast outfit, and Murphy acknowledges his team will probably have to rely on other results if they are to finish top of the pile.

Yet with some tough away days looming on the horizon for St Luke’s, most particularly games at their promotion rivals Shorts and 18th Newtownabbey, Murphy knows the title is still up for grabs.

“It’s going to be hard from here on in, every game is going to be a cup final until the end of the season but hopefully we can get the points to get us up,” said Murphy.

“Last time I was talking (in Match On Tuesday) I said I think St Luke’s will win it and I still think that, they have the games in hand and I think we are still the only team to beat them in the league.

“I can’t see them losing too many matches or dropping many more points so I think St Luke’s will win it, I just hope we can sneak up in second place.

“They are a good side, probably the best side we have played in the league but they have a lot of away games left, they still have to go away to 18th and away to Shorts and they are two games that we lost so they will be two tough games for them especially.”

Dunmurry have arguably the easier run-in with only a trip to Shorts remaining out of games against that title contingent.

They came through a gruelling game at Cloyne Crescent a few weeks ago with Josh Cahoon grabbing a hat-trick of penalties in the 4-2 win – incidentally taking his haul to 16 for the season, an incredible return for a centre back – and Murphy reckons the 18th could yet have a big say in the destination of 1C’s honours.

“We played 18th there a few weeks ago and beat them and that was a massive win for us,” he said.

“It was a brilliant game, it had everything, sendings off and penalties, it was a real battle.

“It was one of the best games I’ve been involved in, a big crowd up watching it and both teams going at it and they’ll not go away, they are a tough team to beat, they are a big, physical side and they are going to take points off teams, especially up there at Monkstown so they are not out of it.

“Neither are Shorts, they are a strong team too so it’s between us, Shorts, 18th and St Luke’s, that’s what I would say, it’s a four-horse race now.”