NAFL Premier Division
Immaculata 0 Crumlin Star 3
GOALS from David Fearon in each half and a late third from James Doyle capped a good day for Crumlin Star as they breezed past Immaculata to narrow the gap at the top of the NAFL Premier Division.
Along with East Belfast's defeat to Derriaghy, the Ardoyne side now have the title chase in their own hands as they are 14 points adrift with five games in hand.
Saturday's game was a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Intermediate Cup final between the clubs and Star will head into it with confidence as they won in fine style and indeed, could have won in even finer style but for a host of missed chances, fine saves and the woodwork rescuing Immaculata.
The Mac started brightly, but the first real sight of goal came at the other end when Fearon skipped through but seemed caught in two minds, overcooking his pass out to Kevin Lynch with a shot on.
Immaculata had their only real chance of the first half soon after a with a strong wind at his back, Sean McGovern struck his free-kick well that clipped the top of the bar and went over, but Ciaran McNeill in the Star goal seemed to have it covered had it gone slightly lower.
Joe McNeill challenges Darren Bellew 
The crossbar would rattle at the other end when Kevin Lynch clipped in a good ball from the right and Fearon's header beat Ruairi Murray, but the ball bounced kindly into the goalkeeper's hands.
Star wouldn't have to wait much longer for the lead as on 15 minutes, Joe McNeill sent the ball forward and it seemed a straightforward gather for Murray, but he was unfortunate to slip and Fearon pounced to finish.
Murray then did well to gather a well-struck free-kick from Lynch at the second attempt, but the game would hit a real lull with the hosts offering little by way of an attacking threat and although Star probed, there were few openings created with a Fearon cross in first-half stoppage time whistling over as his goal separated the teams at the half.
With the elements in their favour for the second period, Star seemed to employ a shoot on sight approach as Lynch forced Murray into a good stop and then Fearon wasn't far away with a curling effort.
Immaculata were hemmed in, the strong wind in their faces not helping, but on a rare foray forward, a free-kick was won that Brendan Shannon forced a save from.
But normal service quickly resumed with Doyle played in by Joe McNeill but Murray saved up and over.
The chances kept coming with Fearon improvising to back-heel at Murray, while Doyle found himself one-on-one with Murray smothering as Fearon was on his shoulder had he decided to pass.
James Doyle gets in front of Padraig Adams 
A great delivery from an Aidan Lillis free-kick was met by Fearon who was just too high and then he stopped overhead onto the crossbar as the second goal continued to elude them.
Finally, on 70 minutes, the second finally came and in superb style as Fearon curled a free-kick that flew past Murray.
Stephen Smyth then saw a shot strike the inside of the post, but somehow bounced out and Doyle would curl over before he sealed it four minutes from time to complete a fine day for Star in the title race as both sides will look ahead to a rematch at Windsor Park on April 30.
IMMACULATA: R Murray, J Haughey, D Snoddon, D Bellew (K McGovern 75), P Adams, E Fallon (C Dynes 75), S McGovern, E Templeton, B Kennedy, B Shannon, B McCaul
CRUMLIN STAR: C McNeill, M Devine, S McBurney, M Lyons, A Lillis, J McNeill, S Smyth (P McIlkenny 86), K Trainor (A Bishop 86), K Lynch, D Fearon (E Corrigan 90+1), J Doyle.
Goals: D Fearon 15, 70; J Doyle 86
