IRISH LEAGUE: Crusaders held at home by Cliftonville

Honours even after an honourable draw as Joe Gormley and Paul Heatley exchanged exceptional goals at a sun splashed Seaview.
Crusaders Paul Heatley celebrates his goalCrusaders Paul Heatley celebrates his goal
Crusaders Paul Heatley celebrates his goal

It was a North Belfast derby in which Cliftonville were supposed to be adopting a softly, softly approach with the Irish Cup final inching ever nearer.

That proved to be anything but the case as the game proved to be as competitive as these derbies normally are with Jamie Harney and Liam Bagnall prominent for the Reds and Billy Joe Burns and Colin Coates on it for the Crues.

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Six minutes in and only the timeliest of interventions from Levi Ives prevented Gavin Whyte putting Crusaders ahead.

Then on nine minutes Coates leapt to meet Paul Heatley’s cross and his precision header seemed set to open the Crues account until ‘Bam’ Neeson made a stunning save.

Ten minutes later Joe Gormley chased a long punt upfield from Rory Donnelly as Brian Jensen raced from his goal but despite his bulk the Danish keeper won the sprint to the ball.

Neeson made two excellent saves in a two minute spell from Whyte starting on 28 and eight minutes later there was a moment of controversy.

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Rory Donnelly nudged the ball into the net from close range but referee Ray Crangle ruled that he had pushed Coates before netting and ruled ‘no goal’.

The Crues roared up to the other end and a three man move involving Heatley, Whyte and Matt Snoddy played Jordan Owens in but he drove wide.

Two minutes before the break Chris Curran threaded an exquisite ball into the box for Gormley but the big striker’s shot flew wide.

About 53 minutes had elapsed when Jay Donnelly rounded Jensen but somehow shot wide.

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Four minutes later Gormley’s outrageous effort from almost 40 yards was struck so cleanly that it flew past Jensen like an exocet missile.

Had the Reds torpedoed the Crues title hopes out of the water?

Not likely because cometh the hour cometh the man.

That man was Heatley with his 60th minute leveller and while it might not have had the spectacular ingredients of Gormley’s opener it was still finely crafted.

Man of the match Neeson went on to make further spectacular saves from Whyte, Owens and sub David Cushley but 1-1 it stayed as both sides failed to score a second.

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CRUSADERS: Jensen; Burns, Beverland, Coates, Ward; Whyte, Lowry, Snoddy (Cushley 84), Heatley; Carvill(Forsythe 75), Owens.

Subs: Cushley; Forsythe .

CLIFTONVILLE:

Neeson; Cosgrove, Grimes , Harney (A.Donnelly 69), Ives; Curran, Bagnall, McDonald (Garrett 67), J. Donnelly; R.Donnelly, Gormley (Lavery 80).

Subs: Garrett; Lavery; A. Donnelly.

Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast).