Glentoran and Linfield drew 0-0 in a fairly forgettable final Big Two derby of the 2023/24 season on Saturday night.
A reduced crowd witnessed a stalemate in which both sides hit the woodwork, but it was a slow burner that struggled to ignite, and the affair is probably best summed up by the fact that centre-back Ben Hall was the Blues’ biggest goal threat, enjoying a handful of presentable opening when he forged forward.
Linfield were scintillating the previous weekend when they ruthlessly swept aside the Glens to book their spot in the Irish Cup Final, with Kyle McClean’s delightful double accompanied by Joel Cooper’s deadlock-breaker in the 3-1 triumph, but the hosts at The BetMcLean Oval did save a bit of face this time and didn’t see their momentum stunted in their bid to set themselves up for the European play-offs in positive stead.
From the other side, visiting boss David Healy admitted it was a missed opportunity to climb to the Sports Direct Premiership summit given they had been handed that chance due to the result at Inver Park earlier in the day.
Larne tasted a league defeat at home for the first time in 18 months when Stewart Nixon hit the only goal of the game and helped Crusaders to victory in east Antrim.
That meant 56-time Irish League champions Linfield, two points off the leading Invermen’s pace prior to kick-off, could’ve jumped into pole and piled on the pressure heading into the final four fixtures.
Declan Devine’s charges only allowed them to close the gap, with Tiernan Lynch and Co likely breathing a big sigh of relief having begun their end-of-season run-in on anything but a front footing, but it’s a gain for Healy and hardly a lost cause.
After all, lest we forget that the split is so changeable and unpredictable that, so long as you avoid defeat, you are within touching distance of pouncing on a rival slip-up.
That’s exactly where Linfield find themselves – and it’s a good place to be for the Windsor Park institution, who have their sights on a domestic treble.
The main fixture that jumps out is at the south Belfast venue on Friday, April 19. The Blues host Larne and, simply put, the priority for both teams in the lead-up is must-not-lose.
What the reigning champions have in their favour is goal difference – it’s superior by 10 to their decorated royal blue foes – and a three-pointer at home to Cliftonville this Saturday should Linfield fall short when they travel to the north of the city to face the Crues at Seaview the night before may yet twist the knife before the title heavyweights show their mettle under the lights.
Then again, that’s the point. From here on in, as one of the top two, you can afford not to win – to an extent, of course – but you dare, dare not lose.
Larne have likely used up their single life; Linfield probably don’t even have the luxury of one.
It’s at the House of Windsor when it all comes to a head. That could be a coronation night if results fall right, but until then, defeat equates to a loss of control and isn’t really an option.
Featured image from Pacemaker.
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