Penalty apiece as Linfield and Glentoran share derby spoils in Oval clash
It was honours even in the first ‘Big Two’ derby clash of the season at the BetMcLean Oval – thanks to a penalty apiece between Glentoran and Linfield.
Both Glentoran and Linfield preserved unbeaten runs in the Sports Direct Premiership with a 1-1 draw.
New striker Pat Hoban shot Glentoran into a first-half lead from a penalty but Linfield skipper Chris Shields evened things up after the restart – also from the spot.
Striker Kieran Offord almost had Linfield in front after only 20 seconds. He latched on to a Kirk Millar cross and, after outpacing Glens skipper Marcus Kane, drilled in a low shot that was superbly saved by the feet of goalkeeper Andrew Mills.
Kane was then guilty of an error on four minutes. His wayward clearance fell to Blues striker Matthew Fitzpatrick on the edge of the penalty area but he could only screw his shot wide.
Glentoran were finding it difficult to get a foothold in the game. Offord had a shot deflected for a corner-kick before Dane McCullough’s in-swinging corner-kick caused chaos in the home defence, resulting in Jordan Jenkins flicking the ball to safety with his head.
Linfield midfielder Kyle McClean then showed great feet in the left channel, wriggling free of a couple of challenges before firing in a low shot that Mills again got down brilliantly to save.
David Healy’s boys were to pay for all those missed chances.
In Glentoran’s first genuine foray forward, Millar attempted to hook clear from a Danny Amos corner but only succeeded in catching the boot of James Singleton.
Referee Ben McMaster awarded a spot-kick and Hoban stepped up to send Chris Johns the wrong way.
The Glens almost did it again on the stroke of half-time when Jenkins did superbly well on the left before drilling in a low cross that Hoban, under pressure from Euan East, was only inches away from touching home.
Linfield were deservedly level just after the hour. Fitzpatrick buckled under a challenge from Kane and referee McMaster pointed to the spot for the second time on the night.
Shields sent the away fans into raptures by ramming the ball past Mills.
Linfield were right out of luck in injury time when Sean Brown’s shot bounced off the underside of the crossbar.
GLENTORAN: Mills, Cooney (Stewart, 46), Kane, Kelly, Palmer (Burt, 68), Hoban, McEleney, Larmour, Amos (Russell, 68) Singleton, Jenkins.
Subs (not used): Urminsky, Ferris, Kamson-Kamara, Lindsay.
LINFIELD: Johns, East, Shields, Millar, McClean, Offord (McKee, 78), Hall, Brown, Baird, Fitzpatrick, McCullough.
Subs (not used): Walsh, Roscoe, Allen, Yates, Archer, Taylor.
Referee: Ben McMaster.