McClean magic, Jordan's joy & Bangor boost - five Premiership takeaways

Jordan Stewart bagged a double in Glentoran's 2-1 win over Coleraine

Another intriguing weekend of fixtures in the Irish Premiership saw Glentoran emerge as the league's only remaining unbeaten team and consolidate their position at the top of the table.

In doing so, Declan Devine's side inflicted a first reverse of the season on Coleraine, while two other sides fancied to be part of the title shake-up, Larne and Linfield, both secured home wins on Saturday.

Dungannon clinched a much-needed victory to end Cliftonville's three-match winning streak while Bangor saw off Portadown and Crusaders and Ballymena took a point apiece at Seaview.

BBC Sport NI looks at some of the talking points from the latest programme of matches.

McClean the main man for Linfield

Kyle McClean score twice in Linfield's 2-0 victory over Glenavon

Kyle McClean again proved his worth as a key player for Linfield by grabbing both goals in his side's 2-0 victory over strugglers Glenavon at Windsor Park.

The influential midfielder has long established himself as one of the most consistent performers for David Healy's side and his double ensured the champions got back to winning ways after their midweek defeat by Ballymena.

McClean was named Northern Ireland Football Awards Player of the Year and Ulster Footballer of the Year for his displays during the 2023-24 season and has contributed 16 goals across the past two campaigns.

The 26-year-old had his injury problems last term but now back to full fitness will be a pivotal figure as the Blues aim to retain the Gibson Cup.

Linfield have won their first four home matches of the season without conceding a goal, a good platform on which to build any title challenge.

Indeed, Healy's charges have truly made Windsor Park their fortress, winning 17 of their past 18 home league games.

For Glenavon, the wait for a first point continues as their run of successive defeats extends to eight.

A poor start to the season is nothing new for the Mourneview men. Last year they won just three of their opening 19 league games, the previous season only two of their first 13 matches and the campaign before that five of 18 to start the term.

Jordan's joy

Glentoran's visit to Coleraine naturally attracted top billing this weekend, bringing together as it did the only previously unbeaten teams in the league, and the Ballycastle Road encounter lived up to pre-match expectations.

Jordan Stewart was restored to the starting line-up and his double proved the difference between the sides as Declan Devine's side kept ahead of the chasing pack with a 2-1 comeback win.

Given the 30-year-old's previous successful seven-year stay at cross-city rivals Linfield which yielded four league titles, his return to the Oval was not universally welcomed by supporters of the east Belfast club but the winger has won over any doubters with his early-season performances and four league goals up to this point.

Having drawn with Linfield and beaten Coleraine, the Glens face another serious test of their mettle as they aim to continue their bid to lift the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2009 when they take on Larne in a mouth-watering first versus second battle at the Oval next Saturday.

The Bannsiders remain handily placed behind the leading two with one match in hand as they aim to bridge a much further gap since their solitary league success in 1974.

Shamrock Park win a boost for Bangor

The last three clubs to achieve promotion to the Premiership as winners of the Championship have all survived for a second season in the top flight and Bangor laid down a marker that they aim to emulate that feat with an eye-catching 4-1 win over Portadown on Friday night.

Portadown, Loughgall and Newry City all extended their stays in the top division to a second season in recent years.

The goals were shared around the visiting team at Shamrock Park as the Seasiders' first away win of the campaign made it three wins from seven in the new term for Lee Feeney's men.

A second consecutive 4-1 home loss for the Ports will set some alarm bells ringing for Niall Currie's side, who have conceded more goals than any other team to date, 20 from their eight games played.

Crues impress and Kennedy again the provider

Crusaders recovered from the disappointment of a heavy midweek defeat by Larne by picking up their first home league point of the season in a 1-1 draw with Ballymena United.

Having lost their previous three Premiership games at Seaview, a late penalty from the league's top scorer with six, Fraser Bryden, ensured that they deservedly took some tangible reward for an enterprising performance.

The result sees the Crues sit ninth in the table, one point above Dungannon and Portadown.

For Ballymena's part, Ben Kennedy was the provider for their goal, just as he was in their 1-0 win over Linfield four days previously.

Kennedy's dinked ball into the area set up Matthew Clarke's winning goal against the Blues and his quick free-kick against his former club provided the ammunition for Calvin McCurry to apply the clinical finish which put the Sky Blues in front on Saturday.

The result saw both sides draw a league game for the first time this season.

Big wins for Larne and Dungannon

Matt Lusty and Dan Bent found the net for Larne as they saw off Carrick Rangers

Larne and Dungannon Swifts needed wins for very different reasons on Saturday - and both achieved that goal with home victories over Carrick Rangers and Cliftonville respectively.

The Invermen's 2-0 triumph over their east Antrim neighbours made it six wins in a row with six clean sheets for interim manager Gary Haveron and his charges as they continue to keep pace with the teams at the top.

Meanwhile, not even Joe Gormley's seemingly customary goal against Dungannon at Stangmore Park could prevent Rodney McAree's team from securing a much-needed second win of the campaign as the hosts ran out 2-1 victors in the first meeting of the sides since last season's Irish Cup final.

The Reds' striker's second-half consolation strike remarkably was his 10th goal in his last 10 appearances at the Swifts' home ground.

Former Glentoran players Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe and Caolan Marron did the damage in the first half as they were both on target to ease some of the pressure on last season's fourth-placed side.

A bad day at the office for Cliftonville who had Rory Hale and Jonny Addis dismissed.