Basement battle trumps title race

IT would appear that ‘Project Purple Bricks’ is about to deliver an historic first Danske Bank Premiership title for Larne Football Club.

On Friday night, the Inver Park Reds defeated Glentoran 2-0 to go an impressive seven points clear at the top of the table with just four games remaning.

With defending champions, Linfield only drawing with Crusaders, it really is Larne’s title to lose now. Two wins out of four, six more points; that’s all that is required for Tiernan Lynch’s men to reach the Promised Land.

A few weeks back, I was predicting that the title race was going to go right down to the wire, however, the first round of fixtures after the split has blown that theory out of the water.

Friday night couldn’t have gone any better for the Co Antrim outfit, with Linfield and Clittonville, who were held 2-2 by Coleraine, both dropping precious points.

Those results mean both have absolutely no margin for error if they are to deny Larne a glorious triumph.

The Inver Park side need to slip up massively, and I just can’t see that happening.

Believe or not, Larne FC has never won a major trophy, but that’s all about to change in the next couple of weeks, if not before that.

The Reds have been beaten finalists in the Irish Cup six times – a record by the way – and twice in the League Cup, but now they are about to win the greatest prize of all – the Danske Bank Premiership.

That’s an achievement that has been seven years in the making.

That’s when local boy, Kenny Bruce of Purple Bricks, invested heavily in the club, and year-on-year, season- after-season, Larne have been steadily planning and building towards this moment.

It is a remarkable tale, and, while some may, understandably, be envious of Larne’s situation, I, for one, won’t begrudge, them or Kenny Bruce, their moment in the sun.

Mr Bruce appears to have gone about things the right way. He hasn’t just thrown money at Larne, he has demanded that the club put in place the proper structures and adopt the required standards to not only be successful – but to be sustainable.

You have to admire and applaud what he has done, and, no doubt, every other club in the country would love a Kenny Bruce to walk through their door.

As I said, it’s now Larne’s to lose, and if Lynch and his players throw it away from here, it will be a bottle job to compare with Kevin Keegan and Newcastle in the race for the Premier League title way back in the 1995-96 season.

Thankfully – although Dungannon Swifts fans might not agree – things have become a little more interesting at the bottom end of the standings.

Portadown, despite a 1-0 victory over Ballymena United, remain five points behind Dungannon, who, thanks to a late goal from teenager Corey Smith, rescued a point at Glenavon. Newry City, meanwhile, picked up a rare win at Carrick Rangers to move two ahead of Swifts.

As things stand, it’s Niall Currie’s Ports on 19, Swifts on 24 and Newry on 26.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening Portadown host Newry, while Dean Shiels’ Dungannon head to Carrick Rangers. Two home wins there would really put the proverbial cat among the pigeons.

Despite Portadown’s precarious situation, I have always maintained that there was plenty of mileage left in the relegation battle and, honestly, I can see this one going the full distance.

Currie has instilled a bit of belief and confidence in the Portadown camp – which we all knew he would – and, I, for one, wouldn’t be betting against the Ports pulling off a great escape. For Dungannon’s sake let’s hope they don’t.

The only thing in Swifts’ favour is that their last two games are home to Portadown and Newry, although, by then, I’m sure the Stangmore Park faithful will be hoping that the automatic relegation is done and dusted.

If it’s not, then we’ll all be biting our fingernails as the bottom three go to war bidding to avoid the dreaded drop and the finances that go with it.

It could yet become a white knuckle ride, so strap yourself in folks. That’ ll be exciting for the neutrals watching on from the side lines, but not much if you have emotions invested in either of the three clubs.

I suspect by next weekend all eyes that were focused on the summit will be redirected to the basement for what could yet develop into a fight to the death.