Linfield suffered a second league defeat in three games as any lingering title hope now appears lost
Linfield’s Premiership title hopes look dead in the water following a disastrous defeat away to Carrick Rangers. David Healy’s men are now 11 points behind leaders Larne – who are five clear of second placed Glentoran – after Friday night’s action.
Linfield suffered a second league defeat in three games as any lingering title hope now appears lost.
They had defender Darragh Leahy red-carded for a last-man foul on 36 minutes before Matthew Olosunde put Carrick ahead at Taylor’s Avenue.
Luke McCullough made it 2-0 to seal all three points and leave Linfield miles off the top, with only five games left to play in the league.
Elsewhere, a two goal blast inside a six-minute second half spell sent Larne on their way to victory away to Glenavon – and moved them five points clear at the of the table in the process.
Goals from Paul O’Neill and Leroy Millar just after the hour gave them the platform, before Andy Ryan struck with the final kick of the game to see off relegation-threatened Glenavon on their own patch.
It’s now four wins in a row for the Invermen, as they continue to build momentum again after their wobble last month.
Gary Haveron’s men will now watch with interest as the two teams immediately below them in the table – Glentoran and Coleraine – go head-to-head at the Oval, in the final round of games before ‘the Split’ when the top six sides face each other in the final five games.
Glenavon came into this one buoyed with three wins in the last five Premiership outings, which culminated in last week’s 3-0 victory away to Crusaders, which saw the Lurgan Blues climb off the foot of the table at the expense of the North Belfast outfit.
Larne began the game brightly and caused the home side twice in the opening five minutes.
Andy Ryan got in behind the Glenavon defence on the left flank and flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal for striker partner Paul O’Neill, but he couldn’t get enough of a telling touch to poke it past Jacob Carney, with Luke McGerrigan able to clear.
Soon afterwards Ryan himself threatened with a headed effort, which Carney got back to claw out just in time.
Carney was called into action to keep his side level with an even more impressive stop on 27 minutes. Ryan’s cross from the left found O’Neill 15 yards out and he took a touch before unleashing a powerful right-footed drive with former Man United youngster Carney keeping it out with a strong palm away.
O’Neill was in the thick of the action again on the half hour mark when he capitalised on a Glenavon mistake on the edge of the box, but his attempted pass to slip Leroy Millar in with a clear sight of goal was too heavy and the chance was gone.
It summed up Larne’s frustration in front of goal in the first half, as the league leaders went in search of the all-important opener.
The second half began in much the same fashion, but Larne’s perseverance was rewarded on 62 minutes.
Leroy Millar picked up the ball on the right flank, before cutting back inside to curl in a great cross which was met by the head of Paul O’Neill, who steered the ball past Carney.
The second of the quickfire doubled arrived six minutes later as Leroy Millar grabbed a goal.
From a cross into the box Millar’s wayward header looked to be drifting out of play until Andy Ryan’s quick thinking retrieved possession and squared for Millar to lash home from eight yards out.
This helped to take the sting out of the contest massively as both managers looked to their bench in the closing stages.
There was still time for Andy Ryan to have the final say. He was on hand to finish off a flowing move which saw him tap in from a Leroy Millar cross.



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