NIFL Premiership
Linfield 1-1 Cliftonville

SAM Ashford struck late on as Cliftonville and Linfield played out a 1-1 draw in their dress rehearsal ahead of next weekends Irish Cup final.

The first half was largely forgetful spectacle and the game remained scoreless until the final quarter of an hour when substitute Jordan Stewart popped up at the back post to head the hosts in front.

It looked to have been enough to see Linfield chalk up their fourth league win against the Reds this season, but on his return from injury, Ashford steered home from inside the six-yard box to ensure that the Reds took a point from Windsor Park for the first time in the league since 2021.

Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton felt that both sides minds were on next week but was pleased to give game time to players that were struggling with injuries and some of the club’s promising youngsters.

“There was a feel of next week in mind for both teams I think,” he reflected.

“It was a bit of eggshells - you have it, we have it, sort of scenario. Neither goalkeeper were over worked and we got minutes into players that needed minutes.

“Jonny [Addis] hadn’t played and we managed to get Sam [Ashford] back on the pitch and that was important. Shea Gordon hasn’t had an awful lot of minutes and he got 90 minutes today. I was delighted with that and then we obviously had three young lads come in and do a fantastic job for us.”

Magilton made seven changes from the XI that started last weekend’s 2-0 win against Glentoran.

David Odumosu returned in goal, whilst Jonny Addis returned to the centre of defence after a few weeks out.

On the bench, Sam Ashford returned to a matchday squad for the first time since March 16 when he departed through injury after scoring against Loughgall.

It was a slow burner in South Belfast with Daniel Finlayson dancing his way to the edge of the box before pulling his effort wide of the post.

Midway through the half, Blues’ goalkeeper Chris Johns was first called into action after Reece Jordan cut in on the left and let fly with a right-footed effort that Johns held onto.

The best opportunity of the half fell to the hosts after Matthew Fitzpatrick combined with Kyle McClean and he bore down on goal, only for the returning David Odumosu to deny him.

Fitzpatrick was again involved before the break as he slipped in 16-year-old Braiden Graham, though Jonny Addis came in with a well-timed tackle as the half ended scoreless.

Chris McKee snatched at a chance after the restart and skewed wide of the post, while Reece Jordan sliced wide from the edge of the area after substitute Sam Ashford let the ball run to the wing-back.

On 54 minutes, Fitzpatrick produced a low cross and Joe Cooper slide in and stabbed the ball agonisingly past the near post.

Both sides made a host of changes on the hour mark, and they would go onto make the difference.

Shea Gordon spotted substitute Ronan Doherty in space and his shot was parried by Chris Johns who held onto a Ryan Corrigan effort from the edge of the box around 30-seconds later.

Linfield then turned defence to attack and broke the deadlock on 78 minutes. Ceadach O’Neill and Rhys Annett worked the ball well and played a neat pass to Joel Cooper whose cross was nodded in at the back stick by Jordan Stewart.

The Blues should have doubled their advantage moments later. Kirk Millar’s cross fell to Annett and his near-post effort was turned behind by Odumosu at his near post for a corner. Odumosu then held onto another cross from Annett at the second time of asking.

It was a chance they would rue as Cliftonville hit back and levelled four minutes from time. Keevan Hawthorne pulled the back and Sam Ashford thumped home on his return from a six-week injury layoff.

Neither side could force a winner and shared the spoils in a more entertaining second half showing ahead of the main event when both sides do battle for the Irish Cup in a week’s time.
 
LINFIELD: Johns, Finlayson, Shields (Shields 63’), Millar, McClean (Doherty 73’), Cooper, Hall, Clarke, McKee (Devine 63’), Fitzpatrick (Annett 63’), Graham (O’Neill 63’).
 
CLIFTIONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Kenny, Addis (Hawthorne 65’), McGuinness, Pepper (Sheridan 84’), C Curran (Corrigan 65’), Gordon, Jordan, Wilson, Gormley (Doherty 65’).
 
REFEREE: Shane Andrews