Irish League Football

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Portadown boss Niall Currie said that he was "relieved" to come away with a 1-1 draw against Carrick Rangers at Shamrock Park.

A Shay McCartan own goal had given Carrick an early first half lead, with the same player's late deflected strike rescuing a point for the Ports with the last kick of the game.

And Currie was satisfied with a point and his side's ability to push to the end after a below-par performance.

"I think we huffed and puffed, had plenty of the ball and if we played to midnight, we wouldn't have scored but thankfully we had a moment of magic and a bit of luck," he told BBC Sport NI.

"In moments like that you take the point and I'm relieved to get that so I don't think we can be disappointed today."

Currie also praised Carrick for their approach to the game which helped to frustrate the hosts for large periods.

"Credit goes to Carrick, they were resilient and really hard to break down and limited us to very few chances," he continued.

"We need to be better playing against teams with low blocks, but I'm proud of the boys you need to dig in and go to the end and we did."

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Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann said that his side were "outstanding" in the second half of their 3-0 victory against Glenavon at Mourneview Park.

Finley Thorndike and Dylan Connolly added to Danny Amos' opener to help Glentoran get back to winning ways.

And McCann was pleased with his team's ruthless streak in front of goal and their ability to keep a clean sheet.

"It's been difficult the last couple of weeks there have been games we have gone in 1-0 up at half-time when we are well on top, but we couldn't get the killer goals and lucky enough we did that in the second half," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We're happy enough with the clean sheet and three goals."

McCann also explained how Declan Devine's half-time team talk inspired a much improved second half display after an even first half.

"I thought Glenavon were outstanding in the first half they gave us a real game and goals change games, and luckily we got the first goal," he continued.

"We knew we could have played a bit better in the first half, but we got them in at half time and Decky had a few words with them saying 'let's go after it and get that second goal' and kill the game off and play on the front foot.

"I thought second half the boys were outstanding we got the second goal and then the third."

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Glenavon boss Stephen McDonnell said that he was "extremely disappointed" by his side's display in their 3-0 defeat by Glentoran.

Goals from Danny Amos, Finley Thorndike and Dylan Connolly secured the victory for the Glens and extended Glenavon's winless run in the league to five games.

And McDonnell was frustrated by the manner of the goals they conceded at Mourneview Park.

"Glentoran came here today and scored three goals and didn't have to work for it, we have gifted them three goals," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I have no complaints with the result, we simply haven't been good enough and individual errors have cost us in this game."

McDonnell said that Thorndike's second goal so quickly into the second half turned the tide.

"You go in at half-time and do the usual ranting and raving saying 'let's get going for the second half and have a positive start' and then you concede after 45 seconds after a poor clearance and not being in a position to deal with the second ball, it sets you back," he added.

"You try to make positive changes and then third goal is criminal and kills off the contest."

Despite their recent winless run, McDonnell is confident that the Lurgan Blues' fortunes will turn soon, if they start taking their chances.

"It's a tough period, we have shown we can come through it before, and we'll keep working hard.

"We're not scoring enough goals and that is what is affecting us at the minute and we're not getting that bit of luck, but it will turn."

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Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree felt that his side were denied a penalty and that Cliftonville's spot kick should not have stood in their 4-1 defeat by the Reds.

Andy Mitchell went down under a challenge from Michael Newberry in the box in the first half, but Jamie Robinson waved away penalty appeals.

Then on the stroke of half-time, Rory Hale took a tumble after a challenge from goalkeeper Declan Dunne, with Robinson awarding a spot kick, which Joe Gormley converted.

"The one against us is not a penalty, we watched it on video and all Decky did was stand up and get a foot on it, he certainly hasn't used force," McAree told BBC Sport NI.

"The challenge on Andy was a decision that went against us. We have to be careful; we can't be too critical, we know we won't get every decision, but I think we're the only team in the league that haven't had a penalty, and we could have had one today."

McAree was also disappointed with the nature of the goals that the Swifts conceded.

"We take the lead then concede straight away which is disappointing, Gormley is unmarked in the six-yard box, and he does what he does," McAree added.

"We watched set pieces all week and we know they try things, but we let Taylor Steven come inside and we find ourselves 2-1 down and at that stage Cliftonville are in control.

"We were thinking get in at 2-1 and we're still in the game but a penalty goes against us."

McAree has also challenged his side to improve defensively as they look to get back to winning ways.

"We're not doing enough defensively; we conceded 10 goals in the opening 13 game and 11 in the last three so as a unit we have to have a look at that and be harder to beat."

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Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin praised the efforts of his team in Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Linfield at Windsor Park.

The visitors were well in the match until they had central defender Stephen O'Donnell shown a red card for two yellow card offences in the 70th minute.

Goals from substitute Rhys Annett and Kirk Millar condemned the Sky Blues to a fourth consecutive league reverse without scoring a goal.

"I thought to a man we were absolutely brilliant. I thought we kept the ball well and if our crosses in the final third had been a bit better we may have created a lot more but we didn’t," Ervin told BBC Sport NI.

"I couldn’t have asked for much more. They gave me everything that they could but we came away with no goals and no points."

The Ballymena boss believes his side should have been awarded a penalty late in the game for a possible handball by Linfield defender Scot Whiteside.

"It’s extremely frustrating. I thought we had a stonewall penalty not given but for what the players gave me I can’t ask for much more."

Ervin added that O'Donnell's dismissal was "the changing point in the game".

“After that we did well – we had to adjust to a new shape but we let too many crosses come in and when you give Kirk Millar that amount of time and space he’s always going to hurt you. Disappointed from the marking point of view [for Annett's opening headed goal], it’s a free header inside the box."

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Linfield manager David Healy commended his players for achieving "the required outcome" in Saturday's 2-0 win over Ballymena United in the Irish Premiership.

Sky Blues defender Stephen O'Donnell was dismissed with 20 minutes remaining for a handball, his second bookable offence, before substitute Rhys Annett and Kirk Millar scored the goals which ensured the Blues maintained their five-point advantage at the top of the table.

"I'm pleased with the three points and a clean sheet. It was hard fought, as I knew it would be, but we came out the end of it," said Healy after the game.

"We huffed and puffed without creating much in the first half.

"We settled down, we spoke. We got a little bit better in the second half – the required outcome was that we win today and we did that."

O'Donnell's sending-off saw the Blues play the final part of the game with a one-man advantage and Annett's headed goal was vital.

"We were pushing in and around that time to break the deadlock and when it did come it was at an important stage and at an important time.

“They’re down to 10 men, we threatened to open the door and thankfully we did.

“Rhys is a goalscorer. He’s not the biggest in terms of physicality but he’s in the right area, that’s where you want your number nine in front of the goalkeeper and he got an important touch on it."

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Crusaders v Loughgall (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: Declan Caddell's team are going into the game off the back of a last-minute cup win and I think he'll want to push on in the league now. Loughgall will carry some confidence from their win over Dungannon, but Seaview has been a tough venue to get a result at this season.

Prediction: 2-0 (result 3-1)

Dungannon Swifts v Cliftonville (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: This one is going to be close. Rodney McAree's team have started the season very well and are always tough to break down at home. Cliftonville are on a bit of a bounce, but always seem to struggle down in Dungannon. There's little to separate the two in this one.

Prediction: 1-1 (result 1-4)

Glenavon v Glentoran (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: Glenavon are tough to break down, especially at home. They've had plenty of clean sheets this season and the longer they can stay in the game the more they'll frustrate Glentoran. Declan Devine will be looking to bounce back after a mixed bag of results recently.

Prediction: 0-1 (result 0-3)

Linfield v Ballymena United (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: I think Ballymena have been struggling at the minute and to play away at Windsor is as tough a challenge as it gets. Linfield will do what they always do at home. David Healy will know they need a big performance, and I think they'll get it.

Prediction: 3-0 (result 2-0)

Portadown v Carrick Rangers (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: This could be a close one at Shamrock Park. Portadown are in good form, coming off the back of some big wins. Carrick on the other hand, are having a hard time at the minute, but with new manager Stephen Baxter in charge, they could pull something out of the bag.

Prediction: 2-1 (result 1-1)

Larne v Coleraine (Sunday, 14:00 GMT, live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website)

Pre-match thoughts: Anytime we play Coleraine, they're tight games either decided by narrow score lines or ended in draws. We needed the win last week and want to come back and get another. We've got a lot of fixtures coming up and we want to push on and get a few points on the board.

Prediction: N/A (We'll let Tomas off with predicting this one!)

Don't forget to join Larne defender Tomas Cosgrove with Michael McNamee on this weekend's Sportsound programme on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport Website from 14:00 GMT on Saturday

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Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton said that his side's 4-1 away win against Dungannon Swifts was "very pleasing".

A Joe Gormley hat-trick and a fine curling strike from Taylor Steven secured the victory, which was the Reds' fourth successive league win.

And Magilton was pleased with his side's resilience as they levelled a minute after Gael Bigirimana had scored the opener for the Swifts.

"I'm chuffed, it is always a very difficult place to come with the way they play and pass the ball so to come here and score four goals it is very pleasing," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I felt we took a little bit to get going, it was important to score soon after they did and thankfully, we did and that gave us the impetus to go on and win."

The Reds boss also said that he was running out of superlatives to describe Gormley, who moved to 10 league goals with his treble.

"He is just phenomenal in the box; he is one of those special players that creates his own space, and his technical ability is special, so we are very lucky to have him," Magilton added.

"A lot was made of the forwards that left the club in the summer, but I always had great faith in those that remained, and Joe Gormley has proved over many years that he is a goal scorer and today was case in point."

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Crusaders manager Declan Caddell has been awarded October's manager of the month by the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association.

The Crues recorded victories over Coleraine and Ballymena United in the Irish Premiership, along with a draw with Larne at Inver Park.

Caddell's side also knocked Linfield out of the County Antrim Shield and defeated Championship side Ballyclare Comrades in the BetMcLean Cup.

"It was a good month even though we lost to Linfield in the league. It's always difficult when you play a team back-to-back like that," said Caddell, who replaced long-serving Stephen Baxter as the manager at Seaview

"But to take seven points in the league and to progress in both cup competitions means it was a good month. It was nice to put a run together.

"On a personal level, it's nice to be named Manager of the Month by the Football Writers', as I never managed to win the Player of the Month award!".

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Glentoran manager Declan Devine says his side are "desperate to get that consistency" as his team struggles for form this season.

The east Belfast side are seventh in the table eight points off leaders Linfield having played a game more.

Next up is a trip to Mourneview Park to face Glenavon, a team that has historically caused them a few headaches.

"We know that when we are at our levels, we’re more than a match for anyone. We’ve had a few wobbles here and there, as most teams have had as well, but we’re certainly looking to improve on our consistency," Devine said.

"I really don’t think we’re too far away, but we really have to go and demonstrate it now and make sure that those little inconsistencies that have cost us over the course of the opening phase of games, we can rectify and try and put to bed.

"I think coming up to Christmas, you will start to see a bit more consistency from teams. There’s been a lot of surprises and a lot of games where there’s really nothing in it."

Devine also spoke of the fact that missing three consecutive penalties at home in their last three games has been a huge source of frustration.

"We have had three consecutive [missed] penalties at home in three weeks and I’ve never in my life experienced anything like that," he conceded.

"It’s the fine margins. They weren’t penalties when you are two or three nil up, they were penalties that were really defining in the moment and if anything has probably been the biggest disappointment."

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Glenavon manager Stephen McDonnell says his side are "certainly doing good enough" despite back-to-back defeats in all competitions.

The Lurgan Blues suffered a disappointing BetMcLean League Cup exit at the hands of Armagh City which followed a 3-0 defeat at Loughgall in their last league outing.

They sit 10th in the table with just three wins from 15 games ahead of their meeting with Glentoran on Saturday, but McDonnell did not seem too perturbed.

"What’s done is done, but we also need to reflect in particular on the last two games, where we’ve dominated the football in terms of the chances created and we have missed some seriously easy opportunities to score goals," he said.

"In one way it’s a concern because we’re not putting the ball in the net, but on the other side of it, we’re creating multiple good opportunities, so that would suggest we’re certainly doing enough."

Whilst conceding that the last two games have been a "major disappointment", the manager is content with the progress his side are making.

“The reality is, we’re sitting on 15 points, which is nine points off second. There are four games in particular that we know we left points behind in, that we were extremely dominant in, and we picked up a draw," he explained.

"Four draws that we should’ve turned into four wins and those eight extra points means you’re two points off second. That’s how fine the margins are."

Speaking about this weekend’s fixture against a Glentoran side who are also desperate to put points on the board, McDonnell added that his side were going in with confidence.

"We drew 0-0 at The Oval in the reverse fixture and we should’ve taken all three points but, we take confidence from that.

"I think we’re in a better place from when we had to go to the Oval. We’ll be going to take full points and if we can do that, the whole complexion of the league table changes once again.”