A Belfast derby which beats all others to the punch

DERBY DAYS:Riots on the terraces and punch-ups on the field have been unfortunate features of games between Linfield and Glentoran

IT IS, perhaps, not surprising that a book entitled Fear and Loathing in World Footballwould merit a chapter on the Irish League, and the relationship between Linfield and Glentoran in particular.

In it, the authors agreed that, for the supporters of the two Belfast clubs, “in many ways the rivalry extends far beyond the fear of losing in derby matches or being ridiculed by opposition fans. Instead, it reflects the complexity of cultural confrontations which have been influenced by the violent brutalization of society”.

Whatever the reason, the clubs share the most concentrated rivalry in the Irish League.

And often the most violent.

Regrettably, many of the derby meetings are remembered more for their associated hooliganism than for the results recorded.

In March, 1976, a typically tense affair led to The Irish Timesreport the following day reporting: "Riots on the terraces, punch-ups on the field – it was a day of extreme aggro at the Oval where Linfield came out 2-1 in a best forgotten Irish Cup semi-final against Glentoran. For almost 60 minutes it was first-class football, nip-and-tuck cup tie stuff with both sides anxious to avoid mistakes. But when Martin Malone scored for Linfield all hell broke loose. Players lost their tempers and when Ronnie Bell clinched the result with a great goal, the thugs on the terraces fought out a pitched battle."

It has made the Irish League a hard sell for those trying to promote the quality of the game.

Ten years ago, after a derby game in front of 10,000 supporters, the Out of the Northcolumn in this paper bemoaned the lack of action to confront those who were doing irreparable harm to the league. "Just another day at the office. The crowd violence, missile throwing and post-match incidents which accompanied last Saturday's Irish League meeting between Glentoran and Linfield at the Oval were mind-numbingly predictable and provided yet more evidence of the moral bankruptcy of the league set-up here."

In the 12 months up to that game, there were allegations of assaults on the Glentoran manager at Windsor Park, the Linfield manager at the Oval, many incidents of objects thrown at games, fighting on the terraces and on the field, including a fist-fight concerning 20 players.

The non-sporting antics have not disappeared along with the 20th century. In the second-last round of the 2004/05 season the two Belfast sides – who were locked in a tight battle at the top of the league – met at the Oval.

With the score 2-2 entering injury-time, Glentoran nicked a last-minute winner through ex-Linfield player Chris Morgan to move to the top of the table.

It was a wonderful sporting occasion. Or rather, should have been.The following day, instead of leading with the top quality and commitment shown by the players involved, reports instead told the story of shocking post-game hooliganism.

The rivalry can be difficult to understand, especially as both draw the bulk of their support from unionist communities and so the relationship doesn’t have obvious sectarian overtones.

The grounds for the rivalry appear to stand on the fact the clubs are the best supported in the league – with the highest average home attendances, and the biggest travelling support. And they are the most successful.

In fact, they’ve been rivals since the start of the league – back in 1890, when Linfield won the first three championship before Glentoran pushed them into second position in the 1893/94 season.

This day last year the city neighbours met at the Oval in the Setanta Cup, with the home side allowing an early lead to be turned into a humiliating 3-1 loss.

With two draws and two defeats all to show for their Group Two exploits by the time Glentoran visited Linfield last October in the return leg, there seemed no hope for the East Belfast side in the cross-border competition.

In fact, the match-day programme stated the visiting side were already out of the running and that Linfield were the only Northern Ireland team capable of qualifying for the knock-out stages.

A couple of hours later, Glentoran were 4-1 victors and back in the hunt. A 1-0 home win against St Patrick’s Athletic a week later put Glentoran into the semi-finals, and had the added bonus of knocking out Linfield.

After beating Drogheda United 1-0 at United Park, they reached their first Setanta Cup final where they eventually went down to Cork City at Turner’s Cross 2-1.

With only five rounds remaining in the 2008/09 IFA Premiership (formerly the Irish Premier League), Glentoran currently sit at the top of the table, a single point ahead of Linfield.

The clubs have finished in the top two positions on each of the past four seasons, with Linfield taking the honours on each of the last three seasons.

The 12-member table split this week, after 33 rounds, with the top six now playing each other one more time. So, with just five rounds remaining, it’s a two-horse race – Crusaders, in third position, are 12 points adrift of Linfield.

Friday’s game will probably decide the destination of the title.

The prize also includes a place in next season’s Uefa Champions League (second qualifying round), with only the IFA Premiership champion gaining a ticket for the exclusive European club. Not that these two have ever needed an extra incentive.

Glentoran v Linfield, Friday, kick-off – 8pm, The Oval, Belfast

Live on Sky Sports 2

Top of the table

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Glentorans run-in

Friday (h) v Linfield

Apr 14 (a) v Crusaders

Apr 18 (h) v Lisburn

Apr 25 (a) v Coleraine

May 2 (h) v Cliftonville

Linfields run-in

Friday (a) v Glentoran

Apr 14 (a) v Coleraine

Apr 18 (h) v Cliftonville

Apr 25 (h) v Lisburn

May 2 (a) v Crusaders