FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield (19:45 BST)
Watch live on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website
Pat Hoban slots home penalty after Kirk Millar fouled James Singleton
Chris Shields fires home penalty to equalise with Marcus Kane penalised for foul on Matthew Fitzpatrick
FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
That is all from us after a pulsating 'Big Two' derby at the Oval which ends all square.
You can read the report from the Oval here.
We will be back tomorrow with five more Irish Premiership games.
See you then, but for now, goodnight!
FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Glentoran striker and man of the match Pat Hoban speaking on BBC Two: "It was a thrilling encounter, the ball turned over too much on our behalf and we gave them too many chances, but we got over that and started playing decent stuff."
On the penalty he scored: "It's not a new situation for me standing over a penalty, I did my homework too with the goalkeeper and was happy enough with it."
On the second half: "We rode our luck at the end, but it could have gone either way and both side will probably take a point."
FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Paul Leeman
Former Glentoran captain on BBC iPlayer
I thought the initial foul on Matthew Fitzpatrick was outside the box for Linfield's penalty.
FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
David Jeffrey
Former Larne, Linfield & Ballymena manager on BBC Sport NI
That was a complete performance for Patrick Hoban, he was certainly a deserving man-of-the-match.
FT: Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
David Jeffrey
Former Larne, Linfield & Ballymena manager on BBC Sport NI
That was end-to-end, a pulsating game that no one wanted to end.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
The spoils are shared in the first Big Two derby of the season thanks to a penalty up both ends.
Pat Hoban gave the Glens the advantage from the spot in the first half, with Chris Shields levelling for the Blues in the second half from 12-yards.
Both teams remain undefeated in the Irish Premiership.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Glentoran go straight up the other end where Jordan Stewart finds Jordan Jenkins who creates a yard of space for himself before letting fly.
Jenkins can't keep his curling left-footed effort down and the ball sails over the crossbar.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Sean Brown smashes the woodwork in the dying minutes and almost wins it for the Blues!
What a way to win it that would have been.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Chris Shields fires home from the penalty spot after Marcus Kane fouled Matthew Fitzpatrick.
The question is, did the foul occur inside or outside the box?
Watch: Chris Shields converts a penalty to draw Linfield level.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Chris McKee crosses from the left as Matthew Fitzpatrick rises highest, but his header goes behind for a goal kick.
Huge protests from the Linfield players who feel it should be a corner.
David Healy is shown a yellow card in the process for continued protests about the decision.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Glentoran hit Linfield on a swift counter attack as Marcus Kane finds Jordan Jenkins in acres of space down the left, before his cross is gathered by Chris Johns.
It was great work initially by substitute Liam Burt, who is frustrated at Jenkins for not finding him in the box with his cross.
Less than 10 minutes left on the clock.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
David Healy looks to his bench for the first time tonight as Chris McKee is introduced.
He replaces Kieran Offord, who looks to have picked up some sort of knock.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Marcus Kane is down receiving treatment but looks like he will continue.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Linfield are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous area as Liam Bert brings Kieran Offord down, with Kirk Millar stepping up to hit it.
Millar is unable to keep the resulting free-kick down as his strike sails well over the crossbar.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
How Glentoran haven't scored is a mystery!
Chris Johns originally gathers Daniel Larmour's header but the goalkeeper loses it off his own player, before the ball cannons about the box.
Kyle McClean comes to Linfield's rescue as he twice clears the ball off the line.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Declan Devine looks to his bench for the second time this evening to make a double change.
Jonny Russell and Liam Burt replace Cameron Palmer and Danny Amos.
Glentoran 1-1 Linfield
Linfield come agonisingly close to taking the lead as Ben Hall's effort flies just wide of the upright.
This comes after Kirk Millar's cross cuts right though the six-yard box but somehow evades everyone.
Chris Shields (62 mins)
Linfield's captain makes no mistake from the spot and levels for the visitors!
It's as you were at the Oval as both sides convert their respective penalties.
Glentoran 1-0 Linfield
Penalty to Linfield as Marcus Kane brings down Matthew Fitzpatrick in the area!
Glentoran 1-0 Linfield
Jordan Stewart has his head in his hands as he totally miscues his left-footed strike and slices it high and wide.
Chris Shields' clearance from Jordan Jenkins' cross fell eight into Stewart's path, but the former Linfield player was unable to keep his effort on target.
Highlights: Glentroan v Linfield
At a glance
Pat Hoban opens the scoring for Glentoran on 21 minutes with penalty
Chris Shields equalises in second half with empathic spot kick
Unbeaten Glentoran stay top of Irish Premiership table
Linfield have three games in hand over rivals
Glentoran missed out on the chance to open up a six-point lead at the top of the Irish Premiership table after playing out an enthralling 1-1 draw with rivals Linfield at the Oval.
Declan Devine's side went ahead on 21 minutes as Pat Hoban kept his cool from the penalty spot following Kirk Millar's foul on James Singleton.
Linfield responded on 62 minutes, also from the spot, as Chris Shields fired home after Marcus Kane brought down Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Both sides maintain their respective unbeaten starts to the season, with the Blues holding three games in hand over the Glens.
Linfield made a bright start to the game and in the first minute, as Kieran Offord forced Alex Mills into a low save.
Four minutes later, Fitzpatrick had his head in his hands as he swept wide after being gifted possession by a wayward back pass from Kane.
The momentum of the game shifted on 20 minutes as referee Ben McMaster awarded a penalty as he deemed Millar clipped Singleton.
Hoban stepped up and sent Chris Johns the wrong way to open the scoring against the run of play.
The Blues were handed a route back into the game just after the hour mark as Kane dragged down Fitzpatrick, with McMaster pointing to the spot after consulting with the linesman.
Shields stepped up and fired home to level, but it was end-to-end for the remainder of the game with both sides forced to settle for a point.
That was despite Sean Brown smashing the crossbar for the Blues and Jordan Jenkins firing over for the Glens in injury-time.
Hoban opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Glentoran
The Glens not only had an unbeaten start to the season to preserve, but also a great home record against Linfield heading into Friday's 'Big Two' meeting.
They had not lost to their rivals at home in the last five meetings, winning three and drawing the other two.
Yet, for a side that had also won five of their six league games and conceded only one goal so far this campaign, it was a shaky start from the league leaders, who looked nervous and failed to get out of their own half in the first 15 minutes.
They were fortunate that the Blues spurned three massive opportunities, particularly the Fitzpatrick chance, which Kane gifted to the striker with a careless pass.
However, they rode the storm, grew into the game after Hoban's opener and then dug in to earn a valuable point in a chaotic second half.
Hoban was a high-profile addition in the summer from Derry City, one that boss Declan Devine hoped would help ease the scoring burden on Jenkins.
After injury ruled him out of the first few games of the season, he has hit the ground running with two goals in two league games, showing great composure to roll home from the spot.
It is still early days, but Glentoran have certainly shown that they can be genuine title contenders with their early-season results and performances.
Fitzpatrick missed a golden early chance to put Linfield ahead
Linfield had to wait until the fifth and final 'Big Two' meeting of the 2024-25 season to finally claim a win against the Glens, but while they showed much more here, they lacked a clinical edge to claim a first win in east Belfast since 2022.
David Healy, who previously lamented how wasteful Linfield were in their European games against Shelbourne, will have similar frustrations leaving the Oval tonight.
They had three golden chances in the first eight minutes after a fast-paced start had silenced the vocal home crowd.
Offord was unlucky with his two efforts and was a livewire throughout, but Fitzpatrick really should have scored after Kane's wayward back pass fell kindly for him in the box when the game was still goalless.
The penalty they conceded was unfortunate, but they did well to bounce back in the second half, with Chris Shields showing composure to end Linfield's recent woes from the spot.
As they proved last year when they finished 24 points clear of the Glens as they strolled to the Gibson Cup, Linfield do not necessarily have to win these sorts of games to be successful, but it will feel like one that got away given the opportunities they created, especially with Brown rattling the crossbar late on.
Glentoran's next game in their tough run of fixtures sees them travel to face in-form Coleraine on Friday, 19 September.
That game will be live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
Linfield are back in action on Tuesday, 16 September away to Ballymena United in the first of their rearranged fixtures due to their European commitments.
That game will be live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Glentoran | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 17 |
|
2 Coleraine | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 13 |
|
3 Larne | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 10 |
|
4 Linfield | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
|
5 Carrick Rangers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
|
6 Ballymena United | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
|
7 Cliftonville | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
|
8 Bangor | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 6 |
|
9 Portadown | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 6 |
|
10 Crusaders | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 3 |
|
11 Dungannon Swifts | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 13 | -9 | 3 |
|
12 Glenavon | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 0 |
|
Manager: Declan Devine
Manager: David Healy
Manager: Declan Devine
Manager: David Healy
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