Poor stuff and no goals

AN uninspiring game saw Lisburn Distillery and Cliftonville fail to make up ground in terms of both their Intertoto and Setanta hopes.

There was late drama in injury with the dismissal of a player from each side but outside of that, this match was forgettable.

It was the Reds who had the first effort on goal on eight minutes. Nathan McConnell saw his header from Sean Friar's corner scramble clear at the back post before McConnell then headed over from the resultant corner.

Reds keeper Paul Straney then made a magnificent save on 15 minutes. John Martin headed Andrews Dickson's cross goal from six yards out, but Straney one handed, pushed the ball out.

Four minutes later Martin outpaced the visitors defence, cut inside but blasted over from 15 yards out.

John O'Loughlin then went on a run across the edge of the White's area, he slipped the ball through to Friars but the midfielder shot over from 10 yards.

A bumpy pitch wasn't helping things but the first half was summed up in the 43rd minute when Conor Hagan's cross ran to Robbie Casey, but with the goal at his mercy he completely missed the ball.

The second half showed little sign of improvement though Stranney was quickly out to collect the ball before Francis Murphy could reach it.

Keith Mulvenna protested in vain that he had been hindered inside the box on 61 minutes. Friar's free-kick had drifted to the back post, Mulvenna came in amongst a number of defenders but he could not fully connect with the ball which Phil Matthews dealt with.

On 76 minutes, O'Loughlin scampered down the line but McConnell miskicked and the ball was cleared.

Five minutes later, Gareth McKeown cut in from the left and unleashed a curling 20-yard drive but Stranney once again pulled off a good save, tipping the ball over.

The Whites had a late rally and on 86 minutes, Darren Armour saw his header come back off the post. Then in injury time a scurmish on the far touchline between Ryan McCann and Mark Holland saw both players dismissed.

LISBURN DISTILLERY: Matthews, McKeown, Ferguson, McCann, Thompson, Muir, Dickson, Hagan, Casey, Martin, Murphy. Subs: Kilmartin, Armour, Catney.

CLIFTONVILLE: Straney, Fleming, Johnston, Mulvenna, O'Hara, O'Loughlin, Cleary, McConnell, Scannell, Downey, Friars. Subs: Taylor, Holland, McDonagh.

Referee: Tom Connelly (Dublin).