Flag protesters cause postponement of top Of the table Irish League game.

[ranch]

MR2.Cliftonvile are an exact replica of Celtic ( minus the trophy haul).A club that has always employed players of all religious persuasions and none.Linfield are an exact replica of Rangers,only employing Catholics in recent times.Both Cliftonville's and Linfield's respective fan bases are exclusively nationalist and unionist, and therefore their clashes are mini old firm clashes.I'm not criticising,it's merely a fact.

You could say the same about Glentoran instead of Linfield though, the only difference being the colours.

[T Fearon]

Only Cliftonville and Linfield have an Old Firm like rivalry with religious undertones.That's the point I'm making.Of course there are other forms of rivalry,Glens V Linfield is more akin to the Man Utd V Liverpool rivalry.

[michaelg]

Thats the old cricket pitch. That should give you an idea of who lived in that area. As for Ardoyne its nowhere near Cliftonville, you have the Oldpark to pass before you reach Ardoyne

Am I right in saying that the cricket club were burnt out in the 70s?

[ranch]

Only Cliftonville and Linfield have an Old Firm like rivalry with religious undertones.That's the point I'm making.Of course there are other forms of rivalry,Glens V Linfield is more akin to the Man Utd V Liverpool rivalry.

I know what you're getting at but the religious undertones are just as prevalent when Cliftonville play the Glens or when Linfield play DC.

[T Fearon]

Yeah,but nothing like as intense as Cliftonville V Linfield.Donegal Celtic have more players than supporters, Ffs!

Did you know that Cliftonville's all time leading goalscorer is Dr Kevin Mc Garry who is either the father or Uncle of the Hole in the Wall's Tim Mc Garry?

[Maguire01]

Did you know that Cliftonville's all time leading goalscorer is Dr Kevin Mc Garry who is either the father or Uncle of the Hole in the Wall's Tim Mc Garry?

Sounds like one for Jeremy Kyle.

[T Fearon]

Lol! Nice one!

[Milltown Row2]

MR2.Cliftonvile are an exact replica of Celtic ( minus the trophy haul).A club that has always employed players of all religious persuasions and none.Linfield are an exact replica of Rangers,only employing Catholics in recent times.Both Cliftonville's and Linfield's respective fan bases are exclusively nationalist and unionist, and therefore their clashes are mini old firm clashes.I'm not criticising,it's merely a fact.

Milltown, forgive my ignorance but when you say that the number of Catholics playing for the Blues has been "very high", how high is very high?  How high was it in the 60's & 70's?  a serious question

But why bring in religious undertones? It's twats like you that generates shite like this. You must get off on this, if 'we' beat 'them' It's a football match not tribal warfare ffs.

Yes only lately, late 80's right through to now, I don't think they had a local Catholic play for them till 89 I think. Better late than never and if we keep digging up the past we'll get nowhere. I went to a lot of games about 20 years ago and the craic was great and I never seen any major trouble, more trouble at the Blues and Glens games.

I was at the famous or infamous game when DC played Linfield in the cup, now that was a serious match, didn't think me and the bro would get out alive that night

But Tony I'll bow to your superior knowledge of the local scene

[T Fearon]

I'm not saying anything that isn't true.Just like Celtic and Rangers,Cliftonville and Linfield have practically exclusively respective nationalist and loyalist supports which adds an extra edge to these fixtures.That doesnt mean that every one of the supporters of both clubs is a sectarian bigot.

Remember that DC and Linfield game.An angelic non sectarian Alliance Party supporting Linfield fan ran on to the pitch and booted Brendan Tully up the hole.

[Milltown Row2]

They set the dogs on us!! Big German Shephards I ran like fook.

Tully was brilliant in that game

[michaelg]

I'm not saying anything that isn't true.Just like Celtic and Rangers,Cliftonville and Linfield have practically exclusively respective nationalist and loyalist supports which adds an extra edge to these fixtures.That doesnt mean that every one of the supporters of both clubs is a sectarian bigot.

Remember that DC and Linfield game.An angelic non sectarian Alliance Party supporting Linfield fan ran on to the pitch and booted Brendan Tully up the hole.

Perhaps said fan knew a few of his fellow Alliance supporting pals having a bit of a riot in the Spion Kop end.

[T Fearon]

Once saw Tully absolutely destroy Linfield singlehandedly in the Irish Cup semi final in 1981,setting up the winner for Mickey Mc Donald (uncle of Rory Mc Ilroy) in Glenavon's one nil win.Great player and would have been even better had he not carried so much weight.

[Oraisteach]

Milltown, you weren't calling me a t***t for asking a serious question about the composition of Linfield, were you?  I was asking because if Catholic numbers of LFC are "very high", then that is a significant shift in the state of affairs in the North.

[glens abu]

Once saw Tully absolutely destroy Linfield singlehandedly in the Irish Cup semi final in 1981,setting up the winner for Mickey Mc Donald (uncle of Rory Mc Ilroy) in Glenavon's one nil win.Great player and would have been even better had he not carried so much weight.

Good player alright,but enjoyed the good life too much,nephew of the great Charlie Tully.

[ranch]

Milltown, you weren't calling me a t***t for asking a serious question about the composition of Linfield, were you?  I was asking because if Catholic numbers of LFC are "very high", then that is a significant shift in the state of affairs in the North.

They've had their fair share of Catholics over the years. Oran Kearney was one of their best players and loved by the fans.

I wouldn't say it's a massive shift though, at board level there's not 1 Catholic and they still refuse to play on Sunday's out of fear that it may upset some fans.