Summary

  1. YELLOW CARDpublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 19 August

    Portadown 0-0 Ballymena United

    Some early action for referee Jamie Robinson, who shows Portadown striker Ahu Obhakhan a yellow card for a late challenge on Stephen O'Donnell.

  2. Postpublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 19 August

    Glentoran 0-0 Glenavon

    First attempt of the night goes the way of the hosts.

    Ryan Cooney, who scored the winner against Bangor at the weekend, bursts into the Glenavon box and unleashes an effort but it is straight at the welcoming Jacob Carney in goal.

    Positive stuff.

  3. CLOSE!published at 19:49 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville 0-0 Larne

    A low, driven cross from Odhran Casey sweeps towards the back post, where Joe Gormley is waiting.

    Under heavy pressure, the talismanic striker somehow hooks his effort into the air from mere yards out. He immediately appeals for a penalty, but the referee is having none of it and waves play on.

  4. goal

    GOAL- Bangor 1-0 Crusaderspublished at 19:49 British Summer Time 19 August

    Ben Cushnie (3 mins)

    It's a dream start to the game for Bangor, who take an early lead!

    Reece Neale's left footed free-kick is palmed away by Musa Dibaga, but Ben Cushnie is on hand to fire home the rebound.

  5. CLOSE!published at 19:47 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville 0-0 Larne

    Seconds on the clock, and the Reds nearly have the lead.

    Conor Falls wins possession, exchanges a quick one-two with Joe Gormley, and then drills a low strike towards the near post.

    It takes a crucial intervention from Rohan Ferguson to deny the frontman, and it's an early corner for the home side.

  6. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 19 August

    Portadown 0-0 Ballymena United

    Referee Jamie Robinson starts the action at Shamrock Park.

    Can Portadown follow up their impressive weekend win at Dungannon or will Ballymena claim back-to-back victories in mid-Ulster?

  7. Postpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville 0-0 Larne

    Andy Waterworth
    Former Linfield striker on BBC iPlayer

    It is an experienced group of players, and the show must go on for Larne.

  8. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 19 August

    Coleraine 0-0 Dungannon Swifts

    Dungannon's Thomas Maguire gets us under way at the Showgrounds.

  9. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 19 August

    Bangor 0-0 Crusaders

    Finley Thorndike gets the action under way at Clandeboye Park.

    Can Crusaders register their first victory of the season or will the home side be the victors tonight?

  10. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville 0-0 Larne

    We're under way at Solitude.

    Both sides are searching for their first win of the new campaign, so the pressure is on. Can the Reds make home advantage count, or will the visitors spoil the party? It's all to play for.

  11. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:44 British Summer Time 19 August

    Glentoran 0-0 Glenavon

    Glenavon get the ball rolling on a superb evening here in east Belfast.

    Glentoran go top with a victory, but Glenavon will be desperate to get their first points of the season.

  12. Magilton wants 'character' and 'tenacity' from Redspublished at 19:43 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville v Larne (19:45 BST)

    Jim Magilton has called on the Cliftonville support to rally behind his team for Tuesday's game against Larne at Solitude (19:45 BST, live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website).

    The Reds got on the board with a 0-0 draw away to Coleraine on Saturday, but saw Rhyss Campbell and Luke Conlan depart with injuries which leaves them doubts for the visit of the Invermen.

    Larne had a rest weekend following Thursday's trip to the Azores for their Conference League qualifier second leg against Santa Clara, which proved to be Nathan Rooney's last game in charge.

    Speaking before Rooney departed Larne on Monday, Magilton said he was impressed with their performance in a scoreless draw away from home and has urged his players to step it up a level from Saturday's draw against the Bannsiders.

    "They (Larne) are an outstanding team, had a wonderful result in Europe in terms of away performance," he told BBC Sport NI.

    "They are going to be fresh and ready for us, but so will we. We're at home, we have to go again and show the same sort of character we showed today and the same tenacity. We have to play better with the ball because we have quality players.

    "We are going to need the backing of our supporters because there will be a few tired bodies."

    Cliftonville manager Jim MagiltonImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton is in the third season of his tenure at the club

  13. What next for Larne after tumultuous 12 months?published at 19:42 British Summer Time 19 August

    By any standards, it has been an eventful 12 months at Irish Premiership club Larne.

    The revolution which transformed the east Antrim outfit from second-tier Championship strugglers to back-to-back Irish League champions and European trailblazers is one of the more remarkable stories of recent times in Northern Ireland sport.

    Those successes were built on the stability of having businessman Kenny Bruce as owner and Tiernan Lynch as long-serving manager, but much has changed at Inver Park over the last year.

    With Monday's shock announcement that Nathan Rooney was leaving his position as first-team boss after just one game of the new league season providing the latest instalment in the saga, BBC Sport NI reflects on the upheavals at Larne and asks what, and who, may come next.

    Read the story here.

    Gary Haveron and Nathan RooneyImage source, Presseye
    Image caption,

    Interim Larne manager Gary Haveron and former boss Nathan Rooney

  14. 'We have to expect to win home games' - Devinepublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 19 August

    Glentoran v Glenavon (19:45 BST)

    Glentoran manager Declan Devine says his side must become accustomed to winning their home games as they prepare to host Glenavon at the Oval on Tuesday night.

    The Glens' home form was disappointing last term but they managed to follow up their 1-0 win on the road against Portadown with a victory by a similar scoreline on their own patch against Premiership new boys Bangor on Saturday.

    Summer signing Ryan Cooney scored the only goal of the game in the success over the Seasiders.

    "It's a good start, but we've got to dust down and be ready for Tuesday," reflected Devine in an interview with BBC Sport NI after the match.

    "Every time we play here [at home] we've got to expect to win games. That's something we have to look at now and is something we can do again on Tuesday.

    "It's very early in the season. A lot of clubs, including ourselves, are finding their way.

    "We have to look to get better than Saturday. I felt that on Saturday we were better than last week and I hope that on Tuesday night we are better than today again."

    Glentoran manager Declan DevineImage source, Presseye
    Image caption,

    Declan Devine is in his second full season as manager of Glentoran

  15. Watch Cliftonville v Larne on iPlayerpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 19 August

    Cliftonville v Larne (19:45 BST)

    BBC iPlayer

    You can now watch Cliftonville v Larne on the BBC iPlayer or by clicking the play button at the top of this page.

    Thomas Kane is joined on commentary by former Linfield striker Andy Waterworth.

  16. Highlights: Carrick get the better of Glenavonpublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 19 August

    Watch highlights of Carrick Rangers' 1-0 win over Glenavon at Taylors Avenue on Saturday as Danny Gibson's goal made it two wins out of two at the start of the new Premiership campaign for Stephen Baxter's side.

    Media caption,

    Highlights:Gibson seals win for Carrick

  17. No panic at Glenavon despite slow start - McLaughlinpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 19 August

    Glentoran v Glenavon (19:45 BST)

    Glenavon manager Paddy McLaughlin will not be pushing the panic button despite a stuttering start to the new season.

    The Lurgan Blues travel to the Oval on Tuesday (19:45 BST) to face a Glentoran team on maximum points.

    On Saturday, Danny Gibson's goal just before the break was enough for Carrick Rangers to inflict a second loss of the campaign on Glenavon.

    Despite that result leaving his side still in search of their opening points, McLaughlin feels a result in east Belfast can kick-start their season.

    "There's only two games gone and anybody looking at the league table now would be very foolish," he told BBC Sport NI after Saturday's 1-0 loss at Carrick

    "Nobody wants to be bottom, but there is a long way to go and a lot of points to be won and lost in a 38-game season.

    "The Glens are off to a flier, as you'd expect. They've a good side and it's always a difficult task going to the Oval.

    "It's a good game to look forward to and a good game to bounce back, so a good way to get our season up and running if we get a result."

    Glenavon manager Paddy McLaughlinImage source, Inpho
    Image caption,

    Paddy McLaughlin's Glenavon have lost their opening two league matches

  18. Team newspublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 19 August

    Glentoran v Glenavon (19:45)

    Declan Devine makes two changes to his side tonight as they aim to go top, if they can find a way past Glenavon. Captain Marcus Kane and midfielder Liam Burt come into the starting 11.

    Paddy McLaughlin also makes just the double change, as he introduces Michael O'Connor and Paul McGovern into the line-up. The Lurgan Blues are hoping to collect their first win of the season.

    Glentoran: Mills; Cooney, Kane, Palmer, Stewart, Coll, McEleney, Burt, Amos, Singleton, Jenkins.

    Subs: Urminsky; Hvid, Kelly, Ferris, Lindsay, Russell, Johnson

    Glenavon: Carney; McMullan, Burns, McKeown, Malone, Mallon, McClelland, Lowe, O'Connor, Carlin, McGovern

    Subs: Byrne; Murphy, McDaid, Lomboto, Wilson, Smith, Quinn

    Glentoran v GlenavonImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Glentoran v Glenavon

  19. Currie wants to make Shamrock Park 'a fortress'published at 19:35 British Summer Time 19 August

    Portadown v Ballymena Utd (19:45 BST)

    Niall Currie has urged his Portadown players to make Shamrock Park a "fortress" as they prepare to host Ballymena United on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

    The Ports banked their first points of the new campaign with an impressive 4-1 win away to Dungannon Swifts with Eamon Fyfe and Joshua Ukek on target in the first half before a second half brace from Jordan Gibson sealed victory.

    That win followed an opening day home loss against Glentoran and Currie is keen of replicating last year's form at Shamrock Park when they lost in the league just four times.

    Ballymena sat out the weekend as their game against Linfield was postponed, but the Portadown manager noted their opening win away to Glenavon and wary of the threat of Jim Ervin's side.

    "We're delighted to get off the mark," he told BBC Sport NI following Saturday's win.

    "Sometimes you look at the fixtures and wonder where the first points are going to come from, so this was really pleasing.

    "Ballymena are up next, and they've started strongly with a win over Glenavon. It'll be another tough game, no question.

    "But the key for us is Shamrock Park. Last year, we made it a difficult place for teams to come, and that's exactly what we want to do again. We want to create a fortress here, somewhere nobody wants to visit."

    Portadown manager Niall CurrieImage source, Inpho
    Image caption,

    Niall Currie's Portadown have lost to Glentoran and beaten Dungannon Swifts

  20. Team newspublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 19 August

    Portadown v Ballymena United (19:45)

    Victories for both these sides in their previous outings makes team selection a relatively straightforward task for both managers.

    Portadown name the same 11 players who started Saturday's impressive 4-1 win at Dungannon. The only change to their panel from that game is on the bench, with the addition of Rhys Annett, signed on a season-long loan deal from Linfield.

    Ballymena's selection is even more routine - manager Jim Ervin names the same panel of 18 players who earned the Sky Blues an opening day victory at Glenavon.

    Portadown: McCarey, Chapman, Altintop, MacKinnon, McCullough, Thompson, Wylie, Teelan, Ukek, Fyfe, Obhakhan.

    Subs: Moore, Isamala, Rea, Mayse, Gibson, Traynor, Annett.

    Ballymena United: O'Neill, Toure, Gould, O'Donnell, Clarke, Thompson, Rocks, McEleney, Corbally, Kennedy, McCurry.

    Subs: Breen, Nelson, Jarvis, O'Connor, O'Reilly, Edogun, McCallion.

    Portadown v Ballymena UnitedImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Portadown v Ballymena United