Linfield
Warrenpoint Town
Match Details
Linfield Scorers :
Robbie McDaid 23', Chris McKee 48', Andrew Clarke 83'
Teams
Linfield Team :
Chris Johns (GK), Conor Pepper, Michael Newberry, Sam Roscoe, Niall Quinn, Chris Shields, Kyle McClean, Jordan Stewart (Cameron Palmer 64’), Andrew Clarke, Chris McKee, Robbie McDaid (Ethan Devine 64’)
Linfield Subs not used :
David Walsh (GK), Daniel Finlayson, Jamie Mulgrew, Joel Cooper, Eetu Vertainen
Warrenpoint Town Team :
Conor Mitchell (GK), Steven Ball, Dylan Hand, Luke Walsh, Jonathan Leddy, Jake O'Connor (Stuart Hutchinson 87'), Daniel Byrne (C), Kealan Dillon, Luke Wade Slater (Adam Wixted 87'), James Carroll, Ryan Swan (Adam Carroll 72')
Report
Linfield recorded a 3-0 win over Warrenpoint Town in the fifth round of the Irish Cup at Windsor Park this afternoon to set up a trip to Inver Park to face Larne in the last sixteen, with that tie to take place on the first weekend of February.
Blues boss David Healy named a strong eleven against the Championship side and ultimately Linfield’s quality shone through, although they were living dangerously at times in the first half in what wasn’t their most polished performance.
The Blues had their first warning within the opening minute when the visitors played in Luke Wade Slater running in behind down the right. The wide angle meant the winger had to cross rather than shoot but his low cross was slightly behind Ryan Swan in the middle.
Town were almost in on another occasion, when a nice threaded pass from Kealan Dillon sent Steven Ball goalside. Had Ball not been outpaced by Conor Pepper he’d have been in on goal for a shot, but Pepper is no slouch and that’s what rescued Linfield.
The Blues did get their noses ahead halfway through the first half, however and it came just minutes after their first effort on target. Jordan Stewart – making his first start since August 6 – found the feet of Robbie McDaid in the middle and the forward turned sharply before firing a crisp left-footed strike into the far corner for his ninth goal of the season.
Linfield, despite dominating the ball, didn’t kick on from the opening goal and the remainder of the half was spent trying to unlock the door of a deep-block defensive unit which showed good concentration.
Half Time: Linfield 1 – 0 Warrenpoint Town
With Warrenpoint hopeful of keeping the score at 1-0 until the latter stages, it will have been a blow to Barry Gray’s men to have conceded a second goal just three minutes into the second half. Kyle McClean unlocked the door with a lovely lofted ball over the ‘Point backline for which Chris McKee timed run to perfection to latch onto it and race in to hammer in a crisp and clinical low strike for his fourth goal of the season.
A tremendous save from former Linfield ‘keeper Conor Mitchell stopped Robbie McDaid adding his second and Linfield’s third shortly after the hour-mark when the forward turned brilliantly in the box, swivelling and hit a strong left-footed strike from close range which Mitchell somehow not only had the reactions to spring across, as well as the ability to get a strong enough hand to push the ball over the crossbar.
Warrenpoint’s impressive wing-back Steven Ball almost pulled one back with twenty minutes remaining as he did ever-so-well to burst past two Linfield men in the box before hitting a low strike was well saved by the legs of Chris Johns.
Andrew Clarke then made it 3-0 to Linfield with seven minutes remaining. It was a lovely move as the attacker exchanged passes with Cammy Palmer before slotting the ball coolly into the far corner from close range for his sixth goal of the season.
Palmer himself almost got himself on the scoresheet in the closing minutes when he surged from midfield before firing an arrowed strike not far wide of the upright form 20 yards.
Full Time: Linfield 3 – 0 Warrenpoint Town
LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Chris Shields
Match Images
