As it happened: Linfield win league title

Summary

Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Coleraine 1-1 Ballymena United
Ballinamallard 4-1 Carrick Rangers
Dungannon Swifts 2-0 Portadown
Glentoran 1-1 Ards

Live Reporting

Matt Gault and Alvin McCaig

Final whistlepublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
We promised you drama and the Irish League climax didn't disappoint. Linfield prevailed to clinch the Premiership title but they were given an almighty scare by Cliftonville before Andrew Waterworth's second-half treble at Solitude. Commiserations to Crusaders - they hammered Glenavon but missed out a third straight Gibson Cup success.
That's all from us for now and a big thank-you for following our live text commentary throughout a thrilling league campaign. We're back for the Irish Cup final next Saturday so join us again as the Blues and Coleraine battle it out at Windsor Park.
A day to rememberpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Winning the league title for your club - Andrew Waterworth will never forget his hat-trick, which has brought a 52nd title to Windsor Park.
Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,
Linfield striker Andrew Waterworth celebrates scoring in the Solitude victory
Linfield fans merrily tweeting!published at 17:46 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Two-day double for Mulgrewpublished at 17:37 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
What a magical couple of days it's been for Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew. The midfielder was named Ulster Footballer of the Year on Friday and has tasted title success 24 hours later. Mulgrew could also get his hands on the Irish Cup if the Blues overcome Coleraine in next Saturday's decider.
Image source, Pacemaker
Image caption,
Blues skipper Jamie Mulgrew lifts the Gibson Cup at Solitude
What they saidpublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Quote Message
I think the real disappointment came last week, there was a feeling that we threw it away then and that meant we could enjoy this game today. We were able to put on a good performance for the fans and a good spectacle, and that's important because they have been phenomenal all season - this club is nothing without them. We won the title twice in a row and came so close this year and it's important not to lose sight of that. But it wasn't meant to be this year - we'll move on.
Paul Heatley, Crusaders forward
Linfield celebrate Premiership triumphpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Media caption,
Linfield lift the Gibson Cup as they are crowned Irish Premiership champions for 2016-2017
Half-time talk does the trick for Bluespublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Quote Message
We don't make things easy for ourselves! I'm sure people were thinking that we had thrown it away. At half-time we knew it wasn't good enough and if we continued to play the way we were then we would not win the title. We had a few choice words with each other and it worked. One we got the equaliser I was confident we were going to win and we showed the ruthless streak needed to be champions.
Jamie Mulgrew, Linfield captain
What they saidpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Quote Message
I asked for a big, show-stopping performance from the boys today and that's exactly what they delivered. We scored six goals and could have had more than that. We've had to fight without Colin Coates for five months of the season but I have nothing but admiration for the players here. There has been first-class effort but it hasn't happened for us. It's now on us to fight as hard as we can for next season.
Stephen Baxter, Crusaders manager
Callaghan steps down as Carrick bosspublished at 17:20 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Aaron Callaghan has resigned as Carrick Rangers manager, the club has confirmed, external.
Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,
Aaron Callaghan
What they saidpublished at 17:17 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Quote Message
There can be no excuses. Linfield have been brilliant, particularly since Christmas and all we can do is pick ourselves up and go again next year. I think we can do it with the characters we have in that dressing room. The gap between ourselves and Crusaders is quite small, I think they would agree with that, so it's on us to improve as a team and go again next season.
Declan Caddell, Crusaders midfielder
Blues boss Healy 'chuffed to bits'published at 17:15 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,
Linfield manager David Healy
Quote Message
Words couldn't describe how I feel - we were down at half-time but came back and I'm chuffed to bits to win this title. We have been written off many times. I would like to thank the players, fans, staff and board. I asked the players to do their jobs and they they did that today. This is right up there in my achievements in football - I'm living the dream. I congratulate Crusaders on what they have done in the last three years and as always in football there are winners and losers.
David Healy, Linfield manager
Gracious in defeatpublished at 17:01 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
They won emphatically on the day, but there will be an empty feeling right now for some of those Crusaders players.
But they're hiding it tremendously well. A lot of the squad have been joined by their family and friends on the pitch as they gesture to the fans in the stands, thanking them for their support throughout the season.
Stephen Baxter will obviously be deeply disappointed with today's outcome, but he's all smiles right now - and he can be proud of how his team conducted themselves today.
We have a feeling they'll be back even stronger next season.
Hat-trick man Waterworth celebrates title successpublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Quote Message
It's quite surreal at the minute. In the first half we were down and out but we got it sorted at half-time. It fell for me in the second half and I'm just delighted for the team and the fans. When we were nine points behind Crusaders I didn't think we could do it but it shows the character in this team. I'm so happy to make it 52 titles for the club and this is why you sign for Linfield.
Andrew Waterworth, Linfield striker
Europa League play-offspublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Semi-final line-up
Following today's games, it is confirmed that Ballymena United will take on Dungannon Swifts in the Europa League play-off semi-finals at the Showgrounds on Monday 8 May.
The Swifts go into the game on the back of four consecutive wins.
Cliftonville will host Glenavon in the other semi-final at Solitude on the same evening.
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Final scores
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Ballinamallard Utd 4-1 Carrick Rangers
Coleraine 1-1 Ballymena Utd
Dungannon Swifts 2-0 Portadown
Glentoran 1-1 Ards
Deserved championspublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Quote Message
Linfield are the best team and that's why they are champions. Finishing with 43 points from 45 is unprecedented and shows the resilience in this side.
Chris Morgan, Saturday Sportsound summariser
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Crusaders 6-1 Glenavon
Matthew Snoddy wraps up the win with the sixth but it matters not.
The full-time whistle is met with a muted smattering applause as Crusaders fans head for the exit, hoping to forget all about this afternoon.
They did their part, brushing Glenavon aside with an excellent first-half display, but it's all in vain as they relinquish their hold on local football supremacy.
It's been a magnificent title-race and Crusaders have played a major role in our entertainment this season, and we're interested to see how they respond next season, but this is undoubtedly Linfield's day.
Linfield crowned Irish Premiership championspublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
It's all over at Solitude and the Blues win the league title!
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Linfield are the 2016-2017 Irish Premieship champions
Salute for hat-trick heropublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Andrew Waterworth receives a standing ovation from the Linfield fans as he is substituted with a couple of minutes left. Fully deserved for his title-winning treble.
CLOSE!published at 16:41 British Summer Time 29 April 2017
Cliftonville 1-3 Linfield
Linfield are a confident team now and Kirk Millar attempts an audacious long-range shot which drops just over the Cliftonville crossbar. Six minutes left at Solitude.