Top Issue 1-2024

16 April 1998 Edition

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Sportsview: Has it all gone pear shaped?

Rangers did another job on the Bhoys last Sunday. The same old story of recent years as Celtic played their hearts out, failed to score and squandered the game. Rangers struck twice through what has to be said were cracking goals from Thern and Albertz in the 24th and 66th minutes. Rangers now jump ahead of Celtic on the slimmest of goal differences at the top of the table. Despite the setback of the Ibrox defeat, Celtic have to be still considered the favourites for the title and stopping Rangers from doing the dreaded ten in a row. Even Rangers' Manager Walter Smith admits Celtic are still the more likely of the three title chasers to win the league.

Undoubtedly it is Celtic who have the `easier' of the run-ins (on paper anyway). Celtic, Rangers, and Hearts (who went down 2-1 at the hands of arch rivals and bottom of the table Hibernian) have four games left each. Celtic have three home games and one away. Rangers are away to Aberdeen at the weekend, with Hearts at Tynecastle the following week. A tougher set of assignments for Rangers than the Celts.

Reds slip up



In the Six-County league Cliftonville's title ambitions also took a blow. The Reds went down 3-0 to Linfield at Windsor Park and their lead at the top of the Premier Division was cut to two points. Cliftonville's cause wasn't helped by Jody Tolan's `blessing' antics after being sent off. Jody has since apologised for his actions: ``I do have a temper, but I regret doing what I did at Windsor Park. Football has to get rid of this kind of abuse.'' But on Tuesday night Cliftonville were back to winning ways with a 1-0 win against Omagh, with Linfield only able to draw with Crusaders. With only two games left, Cliftonville now have a four point lead.

In the southern league an all-Dublin battle between Shels and St Pat's for the League of Ireland title looks set in the run-in over the next few weeks. A 2-0 win for the Saints took them back to the top of the table on Monday night at Finn Harps, leading rivals Shels by a point.

Kilkenny City and Drogheda United are relegated while Waterford secured promotion to the Premiership at the weekend.

League semis



A Leinster-Ulster National League Final is on after the weekend's semi-finals. Offaly continue to make leaps and bounds after their defeat of Donegal. Offaly's tendency to score crucial goals prioved to be the difference between the sides.

Monaghan's successful league campaign came to an end at the hands of Derry at Croke Park in a hot-tempered, ugly game. These two sides are no stranger to each other, and this was used as an excuse for the bad behaviour during the game. The two sides meet again in the first round of the Ulster Championship.

Derry are no strangers to League finals in recent years and the games against Offaly in the final promises to be a cracker.

In the National Hurling League the big news of the day was the return of DJ Carey, coming on as a sub against Laois. Not even his reurn could stop Kilkenny going down to eventual defeat at the hands of Laois.

BY CIARAN HEAPHEY

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland