Ethan’s ‘Devine’ intervention for Linfield again

Just when it looked the Blues would lose their spot at the top off the Danske Bank Premiership table, the 21-year-old again came up with a priceless winning goal.

He did it against Cliftonville, he did it against Crusaders and he did it against Warrenpoint Town. Devine has really endeared himself to the Linfield faithful.

It means the Blues approach their final two games – against Larne and Coleraine, both at Windsor Park – with a slender one-point lead over Paddy McLaughlin’s Cliftonville at the top of the table.

Jimmy Callacher headed the Blues into the lead, which was wiped out in first-half injury time by Jordan Forsythe.

When Devine was released from the bench midway through the he required merely seven minutes to send the big away support into raptures.

It was the visitors who had the first sniff at goal when Eetu Vertainen’s low drive was brilliantly blocked by defender Josh Robinson, after a great build-up donw the left by Kirk Millar and Jake Hastie.

Little Jordan Stewart, always then showed great vision by sending Hastie roaring down the left with a clever little pass with the outside of his boot, but the former Motherwell man blasted his effort high and wide.

After soaking up the early pressure the Crues were gifted a great chance to break the deadlock on 16 minutes when Brandon Doyle fired over a corner kick from the left which looked destined for the head of Jordan Owens, but he completely mis-timed the flight of the ball.

And, the home team and another excellent chance midway through the half. Johnny McMurray dinked a lovely little pass into the path of Declan Caddell, but his first-time volley flew wide.

Linfield upped the ante as the half progressed. Stewart fired in a wicked from the right that was headed over his own crossbar by the alert Jack Patterson.

The Blues forged into the lead on 35 minutes. McMurray needlessly conceded a free kick wide on the right when hauling down Stewart, and when Niall Quinn whipped in the free kick, Callacher got up above everyone else to bullet home with the flick of his head.

But just seconds before the break, the home team were back on terms – a goal that will give Healy nightmares.

Doyle’s corner kick was powered in at the near post by Forsythe, much to the delight of the home fans.

The Blues missed a glorious chance of regaining the lead 10 minutes after the restart.

Jamie Mulgrew sent Millar free on the right and, when he drilled in a great delivery, Eetu Vertainen’s header crashed back off the post – it was a big opportunity wasted.

The quality evaporated from the game and Healy finally lost patience, introducing super-sub Ethan Devine, just after the hour.

And, he required only seven minutes to make his mark. He gobbled up a pass from Matty Clarke and, after taking a touch, he showed great composure by slipping the ball past Jonny Tuffey.