FOOTBALL: Linfield go clear at top
PHILIP Lowry hopes he can become a Linfield great in the years ahead.
If Saturday's performance is anything to go by, he is already on his way to a distinguished career at Windsor Park.
A winning goal against Ballymena United will have gone a long way to endearing him to the Blues faithful, and if he can help David Jeffrey's side lift the Carling Premiership title this season the fanfare will go up another notch or two.
The 20-year-old swapped the modest surroundings of Institute Football Club for the powder keg atmosphere of Linfield last summer, and already he is becoming a major driving force in Linfield's midfield engine.
Saturday saw Lowry make his 40th appearance of the season - more than any other player at the club - in what has been a stellar campaign for the unsung hero.
"It is a massive transition moving to Linfield. Last year I was playing for Institute, a fantastic little club. But with all due respect Linfield is a completely different kettle of fish," he said.
"Last year I was fighting against relegation and this time I am going for a title. So it is like chalk and cheese.
"But as a player this is where I want to be. At institute there were certain games you thought you would win, and others you weren't so confident. At Linfield you look for a big win every week.
"But I wouldn't change this for the world."
Lowry signed a three-year deal last May, but he hopes he can extend his stay at Windsor when his current contract expires.
"I signed a three-year deal in the summer, but I would love another one after that," he said.
"I am happy here and everything is going well. To stay here you need to perform and get the silverware. If you don't then you are deemed not good enough.
"So hopefully I can stay here for a long time."
Lowry's match-winning goal was the only major talking point from a dour, anaemic showdown with Ballymena on Saturday.
It followed a first half of inactivity that saw Gary Haveron go close with a header in the 38th minute for the visitors and Jamie Tomelty fluffing a decent close-range opportunity for the Blues.
David Jeffrey's title contenders emerged in the second period with a determined look about them, with Billy Joe Burns heading narrowly wide a minute after the restart.
The game was finally lit up by Lowry's somewhat fortunate goal in the 51st minute.
The midfielder had an initial shot blocked by the United defence, but when William Murphy returned the ball he managed to squeeze out a second attempt that ricocheted off the heels of Chris Ramsey and into the far corner of the net.
"That is my ninth goal this season. I usually just make my runs into the box and see what happens," Lowry said.
"At the start of the season it wasn't happening for me and the goals weren't coming, but recently I have been getting in the right spots and the goals have started coming. So long may it continue.
"It wasn't the prettiest game at times, and we have played better than we did today, but we wanted the three points and we got it. If someone offered us a boring 1-0 before the game we would have snapped their hand off. That is what it is all about."
Ballymena United boss Roy Walker believes his players have to lose the "fear factor" when they travel to venues like Windsor.
"We need to have more belief coming to these places," he said.
"There really is nothing to fear in the Irish League nowadays. You have to work towards a system in your own play to get something out of the game.
"I didn't think we were assertive enough or believed enough that we could take the fight to Linfield and hurt them in the right areas."
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
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