BLUES DOMINATE WINDSOR PARK DERBY
League leaders Linfield swept to a comfortable two-goal victory over great rivals Glentoran in the Boxing Day derby at Windsor Park.
After a bright start David Healy's side squandered the opportunity to move in front on 29 minutes after Rhys Annett had been brought down by Aaron McCarey in the box, but the Glentoran keeper redeemed himself by correctly diving to his right to keep out Annett's subsequent spot-kick.
But that only merely delayed Linfield's opener by seven minutes when a Kirk Millar free-kick from the right was met by Ben Hall who rose highest to nod past McCarey into the bottom corner.
It could have been 2-0 early in the second half when another Millar delivery was this time met by Daniel Finlayson but his header was only directed onto the near post.
Glentoran's best moment came a few minutes after that when Shay McCartan crept in at the far post to get his head to a cross, but unfortunately for the visitors his effort fell narrowly wide of the upright.
Linfield doubled their advantage on the hour. Matthew Fitzpatrick was afforded time and space on the left from a Kyle McClean pass to then cut inside and fire home from the edge of the area.
Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, East, Millar, McClean, Cooper, Hall, Clarke, Mulgrew, Fitzpatrick, Annett subs Walsh, Newberry, McBrien, McKee, Archer, Doherty, Graham
Glentoran: McCarey, McCullough, Burns, McCartan, O'Connor, Sule, Fisher, McClean, Russell, Wightman, McGinn subs Webber, Kane, Donnelly, Murray, Kelly, Uzokwe, Feeney
Substitution 
Substitution 
