Irish League Football

Image source, Press Eye

Linfield assistant manager Ross Oliver says he would have wanted a better performance in the 3-1 win over Loughgall but securing the three points was the ultimate aim at Lakeview Park.

Oliver was in charge in the dugout with boss David Healy suspended as the Blues secured a victory which takes them two points clear at the top of the Premiership.

"Performance wise we probably would have wanted a better display but it doesn't really matter as we have the three points," he said.

A quick-fire double put Linfield in control with a superb Joel Cooper strike followed a minute later by Kirk Millar slotting home.

Nathaniel Ferris pulled one back for the bottom side from a penalty midway through the second half.

Charlie Allen eased Linfield nerves by sealing the win with a wonderful run and shot in added time.

"It's something we talk to the players about all the time - when we are in the ascendency can we kill teams off. Our start was very good and we probably had two or three chances after the second goal.

"So if you take those chances we could relax a bit more and play a bit more.

"If you get Charlie on the ball in the right area of the pitch he can hurt teams. He's very good and took his goal well. Loughgall showed great fighting spirit but we got there in the end."

Image source, Presseye

Loughgall manager Dean Smith has said battling in the lower reaches of the Irish Premiership is a challenge the club was expecting at some stage but he hadn't counted on things being quite so difficult in the current campaign.

The Villagers finished ninth last season following their promotion to the top division and started this term satisfactorily by collecting four points from their opening two games.

Smith's side have managed only one further point from their subsequent 10 league outings and have lost their last seven on the bounce, as well as exiting the BetMcLean Cup at the hands of Armagh City.

"It's a different challenge but it's a challenge we probably knew was coming at some stage so us as a group are well prepared for it," said Smith.

"We knew it could be a tough season but it's probably one that we maybe didn't expect to be this tough.

"We obviously started ok and the last few games we haven't been getting the results that our performances have warranted sometimes.

"At the end of the day we know that we're a small village club and where we are in terms of finances."

Things don't get easier for the league's basement side as they aim to close the four-point gap to 11th-placed Carrick Rangers in the league standings.

Linfield are the visitors to Lakeview Park on Friday night in a match which will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

"They're a top team and for us, it's probably why we fought so hard to get into this league is to have teams like Linfield coming to Lakeview Park on a Friday night under lights with the BBC cameras there," said Smith.

"They have players all over the pitch that can hurt you at any time. We know we have to be at our very, very best."

Former Glentoran and Crusaders player Paul Leeman will join Michael McNamee as the special guest on this weekend's Sportsound programme on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport website from 14:00 BST on Saturday.

Here are his predictions for the six games.

Loughgall v Linfield (Lakeview Park, Friday, 19:45 BST, live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app)

Linfield will be looking to put a run of wins together and it’s hard to see past them at Loughall on Friday after an excellent win at Seaview last week.

Prediction: 2-0 Linfield

Glentoran v Carrick Rangers (The Oval, Saturday, 15:00 BST, coverage on Sportsound)

Glentoran are in good form, confidence is high after three wins on the bounce. I believe they will have too much for Carrick.

Prediction: 2-0 Glentoran

Larne v Crusaders (Inver Park, Saturday, 15:00 BST, coverage on Sportsound)

Crusaders face a huge task away to Larne whose last league game ended in a 3-0 defeat by Dungannon Swifts. Tiernan Lynch will demand a big response from his players!

Prediction: 3-1 Larne

Ballymena Utd v Coleraine (Ballymena Showgrounds, Saturday, 15:00 BST, coverage on Sportsound)

The Ballymena v Coleraine derby game is a huge one for both teams. Ballymena are on a superb run, but could this be the stage for Coleraine to bounce back after last week’s defeat at Carrick?

Prediction: 1-1

Cliftonville v Glenavon (Solitude, Saturday, 14:30 BST, coverage on Sportsound)

Cliftonville have had a poor season so far by their standards and having lost their last 3 in the league. They will see Glenavon at Solitude as a game they can get a positive result in.

Prediction: 1-0 Cliftonville

Dungannon Swifts v Portadown (Stangmore Park, Saturday, 15:00 BST, coverage on Sportsound)

Dungannon lost an injury time goal last time out v Ports so they will want to avenge that defeat, but I feel the game will be close once again.

Prediction: 1-1

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says his side were "nowhere near the levels required" after their 2-0 defeat against Glentoran at the Oval.

Goals from David Fisher and Paddy McClean in the second half ended Dungannon's four game unbeaten run in the league, which included last week's impressive 3-0 win against Larne at Inver Park.

And McAree was not impressed by their display in east Belfast.

"I thought we were poor, I can have no argument with the scoreline," he told BBC Sport NI.

"In the second half we made so many silly decisions and so many silly mistakes and we conceded two awful goals," McAree continued.

"We are disappointed because we have had a great start to the season, so I am not going to be too disappointed in the players, we'll put it in the bin because it wasn't us."

McAree was particularly frustrated by the Swifts' response to Glentoran's quickfire goals early in the second half.

"We didn't look like we had any heart or desire to get back into the game, we looked like we gave up the ghost," he admitted.

"The most positive thing about the scoreline was it was only 2-0, it could have been a hell of a lot more."

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Glentoran boss Declan Devine says that his players "deserve credit" after another superb second half showing helped them beat Dungannon Swifts 2-0 at the Oval.

David Fisher recovered from missing a first half penalty to open the scoring for the Glens in the second period.

Paddy McClean sealed the win with a second goal minutes later as the Glens made it back-to-back league wins after last week's impressive victory against Linfield.

"I thought we played really well; it was difficult conditions with the really strong wind, but I thought we managed the game and the disappointment of not scoring the penalty really well," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"The only real disappointing factor is that we haven't scored more goals. We were very creative, and their goalkeeper had an inspired afternoon," he continued.

"We regrouped at half-time and started the second half really well, we worked extremely hard for our chances, we had one hit the post, and one cleared off the line, so we were maybe a wee bit wasteful with our finishing, but the players deserve credit."

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Loughgall manager Dean Smith criticised the officials after his side had a late equaliser ruled out in their 1-0 defeat by Portadown at Shamrock Park.

Steven McCullough's fine early free-kick won the game for the Ports and condemned Loughgall to their ninth defeat in their 12 league games.

And Smith was not impressed by the decision to rule out the Villagers' goal.

"I've heard two different things from the officials. Originally it was for Nathaniel Ferris being in the line of the eye of the goalkeeper," Smith told BBC Sport NI.

"We've not watched it back and he's not, so now they're saying it was because he was interfering with play, so I don't really know.

"He's in an offside position, there is no doubt about it, but does he stop the ball going in the net or have any interference on Aaron McCarey making the save, I don't think so."

Smith believed the decision is one of many refereeing errors his side have been victim of this campaign.

"That has been the rhetoric of our season so far, I don't think we have got the rub of the green with the officials," he continued.

"I thought we had equalised, we probably deserved the equaliser over the play in general and in my opinion, we don't have the strength and depth of officials as we do players in this league."

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Niall Currie praised Steven McCullough's "wonderful" free-kick which gave Portadown a much needed 1-0 win against Loughgall at Shamrock Park.

McCullough struck the winner with just three minutes on the clock, with Loughgall having a late goal disallowed for offside.

And Currie was delighted that the Ports could end their recent run of disappointing results with a hard-fought victory.

"I'm glad of the win, it was a wonderful free-kick and over the 90 minutes their goalkeeper was worked more than ours was," he told BBC Sport NI.

"It wasn't a game for the purist, it wasn't good on the eye tonight, but we got the job done and I think we deserved the win, we defended fantastically well."

"Results like tonight boost everyone when you've been on a poor run, and we've broken the cycle now."

Currie was also keen to applaud the officials for disallowing the goal late in the game which would have snatched a point for Loughgall.

"The referee got it spot on as soon as the goal went in, we saw Aaron McCarey's reaction and we were shouting from the sideline because the Loughgall player was standing right in front of him, so special praise to the officials tonight."

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Glenavon manager Stephen McDonnell says that their 1-0 defeat against Ballymena United was a "disappointing day" for his side.

Ben Kennedy scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as Glenavon fell to a home defeat on a blustery day at Mourneview Park.

The loss ended Glenavon's five game unbeaten streak in the league and McDonnell admitted he was frustrated they couldn't rescue a point on home soil.

"I thought the game was particularly poor, it wasn't one for the purist and the penalty wins the game which tells the whole story," he told BBC Sport NI.

"The conditions were quite poor, the ball was swirling in the air most of the time, so it was difficult and a disappointing day.

"I would have liked to pick up something, but it just wasn't to be."

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Ballymena United boss Jim Ervin admits that their 1-0 win against Glenavon at Mourneview Park will not be one that lives long in the memory.

Ben Kennedy scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as the Sky Blues stayed top of the table with their 11th successive win in all competitions.

And Ervin was pleased that they were able to shutout the Lurgan Blues in difficult conditions.

"It is three huge points, and I'm delighted for the boys. We told them if we kept a clean sheet, we would have a chance and Ben as cool as you like from the penalty," Ervin told BBC Sport NI.

"Probably not one we'll remember much, but credit to both sets of players conditions were really difficult with the wind, you don't appreciate how bad it is until pitch side, it was quite blustery."

That victory was the Sky Blues' eighth in a row in the league and Ervin was a player when Ballymena won a club record nine games in a row, a feat he could repeat as a manager with a win against Coleraine next weekend.

"I'm not interested in those kinds of stats; they're great stats don't get me wrong but I'm just trying to keep this run going," Ervin continued.

"The boys have been brilliant with their hard work and while they keep doing that, we'll have belief they can deliver."

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Linfield assistant manager Ross Oliver admitted that he was unaware of the reason David Healy was sent off after the Blues' 3-2 victory against Crusaders.

A double from Kyle McClean either side of a Matthew Fitzpatrick goal helped Linfield get back to winning ways at Seaview.

Chris Johns pulled off a stunning save late in the game to deny Crues an equaliser after ex Blues players Jordan Stewart and Jimmy Callacher had got their goals.

It appeared Healy was given a red card as he encroached on to the pitch at the very end, but Oliver did not see the incident.

"I missed what happened, when the whistle blew, I was away celebrating," he told BBC Sport NI.

Despite the chaotic end to the game, Oliver was pleased Linfield saw out the win.

"We knew in the second half with the wind blowing down into the Railway Stand we were going to be bombarded with balls into the box, but the players dealt with it as best they could," he explained.

"I think we had one or two chances in the second half where we could have scored another couple, I think it probably what we deserved in the end as the boys held out."

Oliver also reserved praised for two goal hero McClean, who put in an impressive display in midfield.

"You know what you're going to get from Kyle, he was superb in the midfield for us today, but I think everyone put in a shift for us."

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Crusaders boss Declan Caddell said that their 3-2 defeat against Linfield was a "hard one to take".

Kyle McClean opened the scoring for the Blues late in the first half, with Jordan Stewart replying for the Crues.

Matthew Fitzpatrick and McClean restored Linfield's lead, with Jimmy Callacher scoring what proved to be a late consolation for the hosts at Seaview.

"It was disappointing, I thought the conditions played a part in both halves, but it was a hard one to take, I wasn't entirely happy with our performance," Caddell told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought we were off it, we didn't really play and the goals we conceded weren't good enough for our level, that's probably the most disappointing thing."

Caddell was particularly frustrated by Crusaders' response after getting themselves level in the game.

"After we got the equaliser, to concede in the manner that we did five minutes later, that knocked us we found it hard to get back into it," Caddell admitted.

"Then Linfield were in the ascendancy, we got the late goal and could have scored right at the end, but we probably wouldn't have deserved it on reflection."

Image source, BBC Sport

New Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter says that his side made a "bright start" to his reign with a 2-1 win against Coleraine.

Goals from Paul Heatley and Danny Gibson gave Carrick their second successive league win, with Jamie Glackin pulling one back for the Bannsiders in the second half.

"There were lots of positives around the team, we asked a lot of them in a very short window about shape and they did it to a man, they were superb," he told BBC Sport NI.

The former Crusaders manager was particularly pleased with the fact that his team raced out of the blocks early in the game.

"We got off to a very bright start, we scored the two goals, and I thought we created two other great chances to score as well, it was a real blistering start to the game," Baxter continued.

"We had to weather a bit of a storm in the second half, and I’d like to see their goal back because it looked a mile offside, but the boys had to dig in.

"Their fitness levels probably need addressed and we’ll look at that but to get all three points is pleasing, but it is early days."

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Coleraine manager Dean Shiels says his side have to "try and respond" after defeat to Carrick Rangers extended their winless run in the Irish Premiership to three matches.

Goals from Paul Heatley and Daniel Gibson helped new Carrick boss Stephen Baxter to a debut 2-1 victory, with Jamie Glackin netting for the Bannsiders in the second half.

"It’s really poor in regards to the goals we conceded. Two individual mistakes and we have to be accountable," Shiels told BBC Sport NI after the defeat.

"In the second half we were on top and pushed for the equaliser, but it wasn’t enough. You can’t give yourselves that much of an uphill task.

"We have to try and respond to this bad moment we’re going through."

Coleraine are currently tenth in the Irish Premiership table and face league leaders and rivals Ballymena in their next league fixture.