Irish League Football

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Glenavon boss Stephen McDonnell says that their 0-0 draw with Glentoran at the Oval is "two points dropped" for his side.

In a game of few chances, Daniel Gyollai denied Harry Lynch late in the game to ensure the hosts came away with a point.

And whilst McDonnell was pleased with another clean sheet, he was frustrated his side lacked the ruthlessness to take home all three points.

"We were very organised today and we were disappointed not to win it. I thought we created the better chances overall and kept Glentoran at arm's length, it is two points dropped in my opinion," he told BBC Sport NI.

Credit has to go to their goalkeeper he has won them a point today and that is the final wee bit we need.

We have become very organised, so it is now time to turn these one points into three and that is what we have challenged the players with moving forward.

Glenavon have now gone five games unbeaten in the league after a rocky start to the season, with McDonnell believing that they are benefitting from new signings finally starting to settle.

"Players have been knitting together, we have had the chance to bed in 14 players, there has been no recipe [for the unbeaten run] we have just worked hard to change the results."

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Glentoran boss Declan Devine bemoaned Glentoran's lack of cutting edge in the final third in their 0-0 draw against Glenavon.

The closest any side came to opening the scoring in the drab affair was the visitors, with Harry Lynch capitalising on a mistake from Frenkie Hvid and having a late effort saved by Daniel Gyollai.

And Devine was less than impressed at Glentoran's inability to break down a stubborn Glenavon rearguard.

"Glenavon did a job, we didn't do enough over the 90 minutes to win the game, and we have to thank our goalkeeper for the save at the end to pull us out," he told BBC Sport NI.

"It's not good enough with the players we had on the pitch to not create chances but that's on me, it's my fault I put the team out.

"We need to continue to work hard as that is not acceptable, for a club of this magnitude you have to ask more questions of Glenavon when they sit off us."

It is the second time that Glentoran have failed to score at home after a goalless draw with Coleraine earlier in the season, something which Devine knows they need to address.

"We've drawn a blank here at home twice and we haven't scored enough goals," he continued.

"We knew they would come with a low block; they have for the last five or six games we knew they would come here and deny us space, so it was important to move the ball quickly and with a bit of quality.

"We didn't create anything, we lacked ideas in the final third and when we did get in behind them, the final ball wasn't good enough."

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Loughgall boss Dean Smith says it was a "disappointing day" after a 4-0 defeat by Crusaders at Lakeview Park.

The Crues hit four goals in the final 15 minutes to secure all three points in Saturday's encounter.

"We were very naive in how we gave Crusaders the goals," said Smith.

"I don't think Crusaders had to work very hard for their goals and that's the disappointing bit."

Jarlath O'Rourke, Ross Clarke, Jordan Forsythe and Stewart Nixon were on target in a late surge from the visitors.

"I thought we were naive - it was a pretty even first half and we played within ourselves at times.

"I take full responsibility - it was me who picked the team, it was me who picked the shape and it's a really frustrating day.

"To give the goals away that we give away at home is really frustrating."

The result leaves Loughgall two points above the bottom in 11th place.

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Crusaders manager Declan Caddell was pleased that his side were able to "kick on" after they scored their first goal in a 4-0 win against Loughgall.

After a cagey first half, Crusaders pressed hard for an opener in the second and were eventually rewarded when Jarlath O'Rourke made the breakthrough on 74 minutes.

Three more goals from Ross Clarke, Jordan Forsythe and Stewart Nixon followed and Caddell was happy that his side were able to get back to winning ways after a difficult few weeks.

"The boys kept working and all we needed was that first goal and we kicked on and it is nice to see different names on the scoresheet," he told BBC Sport NI.

"First half was even, both teams probably struggled to get going and create opportunities, but second half was so much better."

Caddell admitted that he didn't deliver a rousing team talk at half-time to spark his side's ruthless second half display, but simply tweaked a few things as they ended a run of three straight league defeats.

"I didn't say a lot at half-time, there was no panic," he continued.

"We are trying to build something different here and the last three weeks have been frustrating, but it is going to take time, and the main thing is we were creating lots of opportunities in those games.

"We just needed to move the ball a bit quicker and get a few more bodies forward and finally we got the breakthrough, and we should have had a couple more."

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Portadown manager Niall Currie lamented the fact that his side were unable to "open the gates" against Ballymena United despite enjoying the lion's share of the possession against Jim Ervin's side in their 1-0 reverse at Shamrock Park.

Ethan Devine's well-placed header before half-time, his second headed effort in two games, ensured the three points headed back to Warden Street.

"I'm coming away today and I don't have a lot of grievances with my players," Currie told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought our ball retention was very good, we controlled possession, controlled the game, but you have to give Ballymena a lot of credit as well.

"They were absolutely resolute, they defended magnificently well and they put their bodies on the line."

The defeat ended Portadown's six-match unbeaten run in the top flight.

"The disappointment we had was we needed to get the keys to open the gates and unfortunately we didn't have the right key today.

"That was our big frustration, we got into great areas, we had a lot of the ball, but ultimately in the last third of the pitch we weren't able to have that wee bit of quality and cutting edge.

"It was just one of those days. We have come a long way in a short period of time."

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Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin says the fact that his side kept a clean sheet in their 1-0 victory over Portadown pleased him at least as much as the victory which extended their winning league run to six matches.

Ethan Devine's header just before half-time sealed victory for the Braidmen, who were forced into defensive duties for much of the game at Shamrock Park.

"We weren't great, let's be honest. First half, it looked like the two teams were nervous. We struggled to keep hold of the ball," observed Ervin.

"We eventually scored, four or five passes down the left side, Josh [Carson] puts a great ball in and Ethan's header was fantastic."

"We told the boys at half-time that we needed to try and control it a wee bit better and when we regained possession try and keep the ball but for one reason or another we couldn't do it."

Despite bossing possession, the Sky Blues managed to contain the threat posed by the Ports in attack.

"Portadown had a lot of possession and it was like attack v defence in the second half but Sean O'Neill didn't have too many saves to make.

"That means the guys in front of him are doing their job and defending with their bodies on the line.

"We're delighted to get away with three points and I'm probably more pleased with the clean sheet today."

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Coleraine manager Dean Shiels said that his side's 3-0 defeat against Linfield was "a wake-up call".

The Bannsiders were three goals down at half-time after a strike from Joel Cooper, a Rory Brown own goal and a Kyle McClean effort.

And Shiels expressed his frustration that Coleraine were the architects of their own donwfall in front of a big crowd at the Showgrounds.

"It's really disappointing, it's a big game and we want to put on a good performance and get a good result, it just didn't go for us today," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Individual errors cost us today, we didn't handle Cooper, who was exceptional, so we have to learn and that was a wakeup call to a lot of us."

Shiels admitted that after such a bruising first period, the second half was merely about stopping Linfield scoring again.

"They [the players] were damaged and shell-shocked at half-time," Shiels continued.

"It is difficult when you're trailing, you could expose yourself to more goals, but we had to stop the bleeding and we did have some good chances, but we weren't good enough in both boxes.

"It's not good enough but it is going to happen, and it is a learning curve of how to deal with teams like Linfield."

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Linfield boss David Healy said his side produced a "strong performance" as they beat Coleraine 3-0 at the Showgrounds.

Joel Cooper opened the scoring with a fine goal before a Rory Brown own goal extended their advantage.

Kyle McClean added a third in a ruthless first half from the Blues, and Healy was delighted with their display.

"I thought we were good today, from start to finish, we did what was required to get the early breakthrough," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We had all week this week to work and look at Coleraine and the way they play.

"We got what we desired with a strong performance and clean sheet and at the end we had chances to be a bit more handsome with the result."

Healy, whose side returned to the top of the table with the win, reserved praise for captain Jamie Mulgrew, who impressed in midfield.

"Jamie epitomises everything I want in a player, and he understands what he needs to do," Healy added.

"I thought his performance along with others, was outstanding."

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Larne first team coach Gary Haveron praised how the Invermen "came out fighting and got what we deserved in the end" in Friday's 3-1 win over Cliftonville at Solitude.

The back-to-back champions trailed 1-0 at the break as a result of Rory Donnelly's goal but battled back after the interval with Tomas Cosgrove's equaliser, an Andy Ryan penalty and Paul O'Neill's goal.

"At half-time the gaffer didn't miss them. He made it clear that the first half was nothing like us, but the second half, that first 15 minutes, was exactly what he asked for - that hunger, that desire, getting forward and getting after them and we blew them away in that first 15 minutes," said Haveron.

The former Carrick Rangers and Glentoran manager found it difficult to provide an explanation for Larne's under-par showing in the first 45 minutes.

"It’s hard to put your finger on it, we have played a lot of games in a short period of time and there were big changes made from Tuesday night but we were lacklustre, they were hungrier and first to every ball and caused us problems.

"But that is why we are champions - we picked ourselves up off the canvass, came out fighting and got what we deserved in the end."