IRISH LEAGUE: Town continue Championship march

Institute 0-1 Warrenpoint Town
Institute manager Kevin Deery.Institute manager Kevin Deery.
Institute manager Kevin Deery.

Championship leaders Warrenpoint Town for a third time this season showed their experience to narrowly defeat Institute.

Aaron Traynor’s second half goal was enough for Matthew Tipton’s side to move a whopping 15 points clear at the top of the table.

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The defeat for Stute combined with PSNI’s victory over Ballyclare Comrades, means the Newforge men sit just two points behind Kevin Deery’s chargers, with both sides meeting next weekend.

In truth there wasn’t much between the sides, as it was a case of Town taking their chance after the break, while the Drumahoe out-fit missed their clear cut opening in the first half.

The Drumahoe men had a half chance early on but Andy Devlin saw his close range header fly well over Jonathon Parr’s crossbar.

Town went close themselves on 10 minutes but Traynor’s header at the near post, flashed just wide.

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Soon after a super piece of defending by Town’s Jordan Dane when diving full stretch he blocked Niall Grace’s close range strike, after a goalmouth scramble.

Stute should have taken the lead on 34 minutes, Jamie McIntyre’s super through ball released Sammy Morrow, but the ex-Coleraine striker saw his close range strike saved by Parr’s right boot.

Just before the break Town went close but Dermot McVeigh’s stinging 20 yard drive was well gathered by Stute keeper Marty Gallagher.

Stute made a change at the break with Alex Pomeroy replacing the injury McIntyre, but it was the visitors who took an early lead in the second half.

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Town started on the front foot with John McGuigan seeing his clever attempted chip over Gallagher pushed out by the Stute keeper, but the home side couldn’t clear their lines properly and Traynor nipped in to slot the ball home.

The visitors went close to adding second moments later, but the woodwork denied them, as McGuigan broke the offside trap and lifted the ball over the out-rushing Gallagher, but his effort came back off the post.

Ten minutes from time Stute skipper Stephen O’Donnell saw his 20 yard drive flashed just over Parr’s crossbar.

The home side went close to levelling on 88 minutes but substitute Aaron Jarvis saw his header from Sean Roody’s right wing corner, headed off the line by Town skipper Liam Bagnall.

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Institute: Gallagher, Devlin (Roddy 74), O’Donnell, McDermott, R Morrow; McIntyre (Pomeroy HT), Foy (Jarvis 74), Harkin, McCrudden; Grace, S Morrow.

Warrenpoint Town: Parr, King, McVeigh, McGuigan (Reilly 88), Traynor (McKenna 69), Dempster, Lynch, Dane, Bagnall, Moan, Croskory (Donnelly 92).

Referee: Mr Peter McGrath