Irish Premiership: As it Happened

Summary

Crusaders 1-1 Cliftonville
Linfield 2-2 Coleraine
Glenavon 0-0 Ballymena United
Glentoran 1-2 Carrick
Dungannon 4-2 Warrenpoint
Ards 1-1 Ballinamallard

Live Reporting

Alvin McCaig and Stephen Alexander

And breathe...published at 17:49 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
That's all from us at the end of another remarkable, incident-packed day in the Irish Premiership.
After nine months of action, both the league title and the relegation issue will be decided on the final day of the campaign next Saturday.
Both Crusaders and Coleraine drew - with Cliftonville and Linfield respectively - to ensure that they will go into the final round of matches deadlocked on 88 points.
It's no less thrilling at the opposite end of the table where goal difference is all that separates Carrick Rangers and Ballinamallard United in the battle to avoid the drop after Carrick won at Glentoran while the Mallards drew at Ards.
It all makes for an unmissable finale to a thrilling campaign and, as always, you can follow all the action with us next Saturday.
Bye for now
Irish Premiership - Showdown Saturdaypublished at 17:44 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Final day decider at Top & Bottom of the Irish Premiership
Who will win the 2017/2018 Irish Premiership title race?
Who will be relegated from the Irish Premiership?
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Irish Premiership
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Irish Premiership
Dry spell for Sky Bluespublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Glenavon 0-0 Ballymena Utd
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Milestone goal for Cruespublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Crusaders 1-1 Cliftonville
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What they saidpublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Linfield 2-2 Coleraine
Quote Message
I thought we were well on top of the game for certainly large parts of the game in the first half and little bits of the second half but you have to look at the naivety of the goals we conceded today. We'll try to take the positives out of what we did and keep trying to improve.
David Healy, LInfield manager
What they saidpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Crusaders 1-1 Cliftonville
Quote Message
When a championship is there to be won, you are kicking every single ball on the sideline and the frustration of that is mind-blowing! But I thought the boys were excellent today - they competed for everything, they worked incredibly hard and we nullified Cliftonville to one absolute wonder strike. The players have put themselves in a position to go on and win it - if they can get the right result next week the title will be theirs but it is going to be hard-fought right to the end.
Stephen Baxter, Crusaders manager
'A poor run of results but not of performances' - David Jeffreypublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Glenavon 0-0 Ballymena
Ballymena United will host Crusaders on the final day of the season when Crues will need a win to be assured of the title but United manager David Jeffrey is more concerned about his own side's play-off prospects.
Quote Message
“This is about us preparing for whoever we get in the play-offs and I’m going to ask the players to go out and do what they did today and give their best as they did last week at Coleraine and they did the previous week at Windsor Park – that’s all I’m asking for them.”
David Jeffrey, Ballymena United manager
McConkey upbeat despite Mallards dropping to 12thpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Ards 1-1 Ballinamallard
Quote Message
We came here and always knew this was going to be a challenge for us. Remember this is the team that turned us over 4-0 at home in March. We were coming up here knowing it wasn't going to be easy so for me there were many positives today. We had a horrible first 10 minutes but the very resilience we showed is the stuff that I hang on to. The real winners today are NIFL because we've certainly created some drama and I am so pleased that Ballinamallard Football Club are a part of that.
Harry McConkey, Ballinamallard manager
What they saidpublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Crusaders 1-1 Cliftonville
Quote Message
It wasn't about being able to win the league today - it was about the north Belfast 'derby'. regardless of where you are in the league and both teams turned up today. The main thing is it is still in our hands going into the last game of the season and that's all you can ask. We had three or four good chances in the second half alone but sometimes it just doesn't fall for you.
Paul Heatley, Crusaders goalscorer
McFall laments Glens' second half showingpublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Glentoran 1-2 Carrick Rangers
Quote Message
I thought in the first half we were well in control of the game and could have added another one or two goals. In the second half we never came out, never competed, never won a tackle. That's very disappointing, their player went through about three of our players, we were trying to play in the wrong areas of the pitch. We just have to put this behind us now, move on and get focused for the play-offs and make sure everybody is fit and available for them.
Ronnie McFall, Glentoran manager
What they saidpublished at 17:13 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Linfield 2-2 Coleraine
Quote Message
We were dead and buried at half-time. To be fair to Linfield, they came out of the blocks in the first half and we were chasing shadows. We had words at half-time and thankfully it had the desired response in the second half. We were disappointed with the first half but you can't the guys in relation to their heart and soul.
Oran Kearney, Coleraine manager
Carrick not getting ahead of themselves - McAlindenpublished at 17:07 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Glentoran 1-2 Carrick Rangers
Quote Message
We had to come and give ourselves a chance, people had us done and dusted after Tuesday. I thought overall we were comfortable winners today, they scored against the run of play and all in all we're obviously happy but it's only three points. We didn't play poorly in the first half, second half we asked them for a big lift and they gave us that. We are happy tonight but we'll put it to bed tomorrow and go and see what we can do next Saturday.
David McAlinden, Carrick Rangers manager
Carrick leapfrog Mallards in basement battlepublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Image source, BBC Sport NI
Title race going to the wire!published at 17:04 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Image source, BBC Sport NI
Irish Premiership Resultspublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Irish Premiership Results - Saturday 21/04/2018
Institute promoted!published at 16:55 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Institute are back in the top-flight after clinching the Championship title with a 3-0 win over Loughgall.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Institute are promoted to the Irish Premiership
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Glenavon 0-0 Ballymena
Glenavon looked more threatening in the second half but neither side could take all three points. Glenavon remain in third place...but only just!
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Crusaders 1-1 Cliftonville
The final whistle goes at Seaview where the home side have been denied by a string of superb saves from Cliftonville keeper Brian Neeson.
Crusaders still have a better goal difference but the title will be decided on the final day of the season.
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Linfield 2-2 Coleraine
Great comeback from Coleraine and they earn a point.....the title race is going to the final day!!!
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 21 April 2018
Ards 1-1 Ballinamallard
Neither side could add to the two early goals in this game. Ryan Curran cancelled out Michael McLellan's opener. The Mallards now drop back to 12th on goal difference despite extending their unbeaten league run to four games.