Irish Premiership
Glentoran 0 – 0 Larne FT
Larne took a huge step towards a third Irish Premiership title in four years as they drew 0-0 with nearest challengers Glentoran at the Oval.
Victory would have secured the Gibson Cup for Gary Haveron’s side with a game to spare, while Glentoran needed three points to move to the top of the table ahead of the final day.
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While a draw takes the title race to the final day of the season, Larne’s three-point advantage at the top puts them in a strong position to lift the trophy on 25 April.
Glentoran, who are looking to end a 17-year wait for a title, travel to Coleraine on the final day of the season, while Larne host Dungannon Swifts in their last fixture.
The Inver Reds will need just a point to wrap up the title, while Glentoran must win and hope the Swifts, who face Coleraine in the Irish Cup final on 2 May, do them a favour at Inver Park.
The draw means the Bannsiders, who face Linfield in their penultimate match, still have a slim chance of the title.
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Knowing they needed three points to put the destiny of the title in their own hands, Glentoran started well as Pat Hoban had an effort deflected over and Josh Daniels headed onto the roof of the net.
In contrast, Larne were happy to slow play down, which was agitating the home support, and the fast and flowing start soon faded out.
However, from the moment Jordan Stewart fired wide in the 25th minute, the game sparked back into life.
Hoban, who is the Glens’ top scorer, had a glorious chance to put the hosts in front when he was played in by Jack Malone, but he could only hammer the ball into the side netting when many expected the net to bulge.
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Captain Marcus Kane then blazed over from a corner on his weaker right foot, but Larne then had the best chance of the half when Sean Graham’s teasing pass found its way into the patch of Leroy Millar by the stretching Ryan Cooney, but the midfielder’s finish was poor and he fired high over the top when through on goal.
After losing Aaron McEneff to injury, his replacement Joe Thomson was denied an immediate goal by a superb tackle from Chris Gallagher, before Danny Amos’ powerful drive was deflected wide.
The second half lacked the all-out intensity of the first, and Larne had the best chance to break the deadlock when Tomas Cosgrove’s low cross was only cleared as far as Matty Lusty 10 yards out, but his first-time effort was well off target.
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Glentoran pushed forward again but could not get a clear-cut chance away, and there was a let off as Andy Ryan fired wide after the ball broke to him in the area.
Andrew Mills was called into action as Jordan McEneff broke forward and found Lusty, who let fly from 20 yards but the Glentoran keeper tipped the ball over.
Declan Devine’s side struggled to create much from open play in the second half but did go close through Amos’ free-kick, and that sparked the hosts into life in the final 10 minutes.
After Stewart’s flick on caused chaos in the area, Thomson’s thundering goal-bound drive was brilliantly blocked by McEneff, and the Glens’ midfielder could not keep his follow up down when the ball fell back to him.
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Kane then drove an effort wide from inside the area before Stewart could not hit the target on the half-volley from 15 yards.
While Glentoran were pushing forward, Larne almost snatched the title when Paul O’Neill’s effort was well blocked by Cameron Palmer, and James Simpson stung the palms of Mills from the rebound.
In injury time, Ryan Cooney powered a free-kick into the Larne wall and Thomson shot over from the follow up, and with that Glentoran’s chance of victory slipped away.
Glentoran: Mills, Cooney, Kane (capt), Kamson-Kamara, Amos, Stewart, Palmer, McEneff (Thomson 38), Malone (Clarke 72), Daniels (Jenkins 72), Hoban.
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Subs not used: Crellin, Thomson, Connolly, Burt, Larmour.
Larne: Ferguson, Cosgrove (capt), Ridley, Wallace, Donnelly, Gallagher, McEneff, Millar (Doherty 66), S Graham, Lusty (O’Neill 77), Ryan (Simpson 88).
Subs not used: D Graham, McKendry, O’Connor, Sloan.
