NI set to face USA for first time and Kelly's the hero as bottom club Carrick hold Blues

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Daniel Kelly celebrates Carrick equaliser.

Q Radio Sport

Northern Ireland are to face the USA for the first time next month.

The friendly at Windsor Park is scheduled for Sunday March 28th.

It will be sandwiched between two World Cup qualifiers for Ian Baraclough's side - in Italy on March 25th, then Bulgaria in Belfast on March 31st.

Both leaders Linfield and second placed Larne were hit by late goals against sides from the opposite end of the table while Cliftonville were the only winners on a night that saw three of the six scheduled games fall foul of the recent cold snap.

Linfield raced into a second minute lead away to Carrick Rangers in front of Sky Sports camera, Shayne Lavery showing a turn of pace to fire low past Aaron Hogg.

However, after that early setback, Carrick slowly grew into proceedings as the game progressed and few will begrudge them their 84th minute equaliser through Dan Kelly after connecting with Jonny Frazer's corner.

Larne failed to capitalise against Portadown at Inver Park.

The Ports moved in front on six minutes courtesy of Ben Guy's tap-in following a defensive mix-up, but Larne levelled just a couple of minutes after that when Dylan Mottley-Henry marked his full debut by converting the rebound from Mark Randall's initial effort.

Larne then seized the lead on 19 minutes after substitute Ronan Hale slotted home from Mottley-Henry's cross. That was how it stayed until a minute from time when Lee Bonis was first to the ball to head past Conor Devlin.

At Solitude Cliftonville hit three goals without reply past Warrenpoint Town. 

Ryan Curran opened the scoring, against the run of play, midway through the first half at the near post from Aaron Donnelly's cross.

Paul O'Neill added a second just before the hour, finishing off a great team move to beat Gabriel Sava into the corner before, deep into stoppage time, Curran doubled his tally for the evening following a break forward.

Of the three games postponed, Glentoran and Ballymena United will try again on March 9th while Dungannon Swifts v. Crusaders and Glenavon v. Coleraine have both been rescheduled for two weeks after that (March 23rd).

Meanwhile, there's a new job for a former Reds boss:

Finally rugby 

Peter O'Mahony has been handed a three-match ban following his red card in Sunday's Six Nations defeat against Wales.

The Ireland flanker was dismissed after 13 minutes for dangerous play.

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