Crunch month looms in Provincial title race

Next month sees a number of the teams at the top end of the Michelin Athletic Club-sponsored championship square up, in fixtures which could go a long way towards determining the destination of the title.

Raceview beat Cookstown Olympic on Saturday to remain very well positioned, two points behind leaders Dunloy but with three games in hand over the north Antrim side.

But there was no change in fortunes for bottom side Portglenone, who lost 6-1 at home to Portglenone.

FIXTURES

Matches involving locally-based sides this Saturday, January 30, are:

Intermediate League: Raceview v FC Ballynure; Clough Rangers Athletic v Desertmartin.

Junior Division One: Newtownabbey FC v Carniny Amateurs; Raceview Athletic v FC Larne.

Junior Divison Two: FC Ballynure Res v Demesne Strollers.

Junior Division Three: Antrim Rovers v Ballynure OB Youth.

Linda Welshman Memorial Cup, round two: Chimney Corner Res v Ballyclare North End.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Portglenone 1, Brantwood 6: This game was a good one for Paul Heatley who scored five of the Brantwood goals inside the first 50 minutes.

Heatley opened the scoring on the 3rd minute followed by a second goal for Brantwood scored by Fintan McCartney on the 16th minute.

Heatley then followed this with four goals scored on the 21st, 39th, 40th and 48th minutes before Eoin McAlynn scored a consolation for Portglenone on the 49th minute.

Raceview 2, Cookstown Olympic 0: This was a very close game for the entire 90 minutes with the result in doubt until Raceview got their second goal on the 86th minute.

Chances came and went during the first-half but no goals were scored before half-time and a similar pattern followed until Philip McBurney scored on the 66th minute putting Raceview in front. Cookstown then went all-out for the equaliser but a superb 25yard strike by Gareth Mott on the 86th minute ensured Raceview the points.

Other results: Desertmartin 1, Dunloy 4; Rasharkin United 5, Kilbride Swifts 3.

JUNIOR DIVISION ONE

Ballynure Old Boys 'B' 0, Raceview Athletic 1: This was a good game between a more experienced team in Ballynure than the young Athletic team was.

The first chance in the game went to the Athletic when awarded a penalty on the 21st minute but Andy Boyd in goal for Ballynure made an excellent save.

Half-time was almost reached when Andy Duncan scored on the 40th minute to put the Athletic into the lead which they held until the final whistle.

Other results: Ballyclare Comrades Reserves 1, FC Larne 0; Glebe Rangers Reserves 1, Newtownabbey FC 2; Chimney Corner Reserves 0, Ballymoney United 4; Newtownabbey Sevens 7, Magherafelt Sky Blues 3.

JUNIOR DIVISION TWO

Results: Finvoy 2, Red Star 0; Ballyclare North End 0, 3rd Ballyclare Old Boys 2.

JUNIOR DIVISION THREE

Newtownabbey FC Reserves 3, Antrim Rovers 5: Rovers took the lead after Jonny Smith scored on the 7th minute but then saw Newtownabbey score on the 22nd and 28th minute to put the home side in front.

Rovers got back into the game after Craig Evans scored on the 35th minute then two more goals scored by Jonny Rodgers and Jonny Smith on the 39th and 40th minutes saw them have a two goal cushion at half-time.

Antrim extended their lead on the 57th minute after Jonny Rodgers converted a penalty kick and this scoreline remained until the home side scored on the 89th minute.

Other results: Carnlough Swifts 4, Ballyclare United 1; Ballynure Old Boys Youth 2, Newtownabbey Sevens Reserves 1; Mallusk Athletic 4, Dundrod Old Boys 4; Woodlands 3, Grange Rangers II 0.