Linfield stay top after Cliftonville stalemate

Linfield and Cliftonville stay locked connected 14 points astatine nan apical of nan Irish Premiership aft a goalless tie astatine Solitude connected Tuesday night.

The sides, successful their first gathering since Cliftonville won nan Irish Cup last backmost successful May, played retired a 90 minutes wherever chances were fewer and acold betwixt pinch nan consequence keeping David Healy's broadside apical of nan convention courtesy of extremity difference.

At nan Oval, Glentoran sewage backmost to winning ways to move into 3rd pinch triumph complete Loughgall. After consecutive 1-0 losses, Jay Donnelly opened nan scoring for Declan Devine's broadside earlier Daniel Amos' deflected onslaught made nan points safe.

Dungannon Swifts are tucked successful down nan Belfast trio successful nan array aft they responded to past week's conclusion to Portadown pinch different awesome Stangmore Park showing to hit Crusaders 1-0.

Champions Larne proceed to struggle for momentum successful nan convention arsenic they followed up past weekend's large triumph complete Linfield pinch a goalless tie distant to Glenavon while Portadown rescued a constituent successful wounded time, drafting 2-2 pinch Coleraine having been 2-0 behind.

At Taylor's Avenue, things went very overmuch according to shape pinch Ballymena's 4-1 triumph representing a 4th consecutive triumph for nan Braidmen, but a sixth consecutive nonaccomplishment for Carrick Rangers who stay rooted to nan bottommost of nan table.

More to follow.

After a quiet first half successful northbound Belfast, nan crippled betwixt nan league's apical 2 burst into life specified moments aft nan interval erstwhile Joe Gormley's defence-splitting done shot released Kris Lowe. With only Chris Johns to beat, nan midfielder skied his volley over, spurning a gilt-edged opportunity for nan hosts.

This missed chance seemed to ignite nan visitors' attacking spirit. The Blues deed backmost and thought they had surgery nan deadlock successful nan 52nd infinitesimal erstwhile Matthew Fitzpatrick's towering header from Kyle McClean's inch-perfect free-kick recovered Joel Cooper, who unleashed a volley that arrowed into nan apical corner. However, nan winger's ecstasy was fleeting arsenic nan offside emblem trim his celebrations agonizingly short.

Buoyed by this near-miss, David Healy's charges continued to probe. Five minutes later, Chris McKee connected pinch Kirk Millar's tantalizing freekick, but his glancing header sailed agonizingly complete nan crossbar, further intensifying nan distant side's frustration.

Not to beryllium outdone, Jim Magilton's men responded pinch renewed vigour. In nan 65th minute, Ryan Curran pirouetted brilliantly connected nan separator of nan area earlier unleashing a vicious changeable that seemed destined to nestle successful nan bottommost right-hand corner. However, Johns produced a infinitesimal of sheer brilliance, diving full-stretch to fingertip nan shot down for a corner, denying nan Reds nan breakthrough.

Glentoran person struggled for goals of precocious but fans had hardly sat down erstwhile they were connected their feet again astatine nan Oval, pinch Jay Donnelly hitting nan nett aft conscionable 5 minutes.

David Fisher was fixed acold excessively overmuch clip wrong nan Loughgall box, allowing him to rotation nan shot crossed extremity and giving Donnelly nan simplest of tap-ins from 5 yards.

On 20 minutes it could person been two. A delightful spot complete nan defence by goal-scorer Donnelly sent Jordan Jenkins clear. The striker sewage an effort away, but Nathan Gartside made a superb extremity to sound nan shot onto nan upright and distant to safety.

Donnelly past should person doubled his ain tally connected half-time aft being sent done by Fuad Sule, but his changeable was excessively adjacent to Gartside who sewage a manus connected it.

The hosts only had to hold 9 minutes aft nan restart to get their 2nd however.

The shot was half-cleared wrong nan Loughgall container to Amos who swung a ft making a mediocre contact, but his deflected effort trickled into nan bottommost left-hand area of nan nett pinch Gartside scrambling crossed to nary avail.

Caolan McAleer doubly went adjacent for nan visitors but it wasn’t to beryllium arsenic nan Glens held connected to put a long-awaited grin connected their fans’ faces.

There was much disappointment for Crusaders leader Declan Caddell arsenic his broadside followed nan weekend's reverse to Glenavon pinch different 1-0 loss, this clip to Dungannon Swifts astatine Stangmore Park.

The location broadside collapsed nan deadlock successful nan 40th infinitesimal erstwhile Gael Bigirimana's sliding walk put John McGovern done connected goal, nan striker taking a clever touch earlier sending a beardown onslaught past nan outstretched Jonny Tuffey

Dungannon had aggregate chances to widen their lead, but it was nan distant broadside who came closest to uncovering a extremity earlier nan break erstwhile Kieran Offord's on-target onslaught was deflected onto nan left-hand station by Danny Wallace, who past cleared nan rebound.

Crusaders started nan 2nd half brightly and dominated aft nan restart pinch Jordan Stewart sending his onslaught narrowly wide successful nan opening stages of nan 2nd half.

Dungannon stopper Declan Dunne past made 2 skilful stops successful speedy succession to contradict Offord's and Jordan Forsythe’s efforts.

In nan 83rd infinitesimal Stewart's transverse from nan right-hand broadside was nodded connected by nan unmarked Harry Jewitt-White, but his header was conscionable wide.

The visitors pushed for a leveller until nan last whistle and successful further clip Stewart Nixon’s looping transverse into nan container recovered Forsythe, who couldn’t support his header from point-blank scope connected target.

Goals proceed to beryllium an rumor for champions Larne who, aft their 0-0 tie pinch Glenavon, person now scored conscionable 2 goals successful nan first 4 games of their latest title defence.

It was a frustrating first half for Tiernan Lynch's broadside who were reduced to long-range efforts for nan astir part.

The champion of those came connected 22 minutes erstwhile Matty Lusty rattled nan crossbar from nan near area of nan container while Sean Graham couldn't put capable powerfulness aliases accuracy connected his changeable from wrong nan container aft an intricate passing move.

The 2nd half began successful overmuch nan aforesaid vein pinch Larne dominating nan shot but not troubling Gareth Deane.

Graham blazed complete from Levi Ives' knockdown earlier nan hosts began to make immoderate forays forward. One of those saw David McDaid power a agelong free footwear but he was denied by a Chris Gallagher challenge.

The infinitesimal of nan lucifer came connected 85 minutes arsenic substitute Paul O'Neill roseate for a header that looked destined for nan bottommost area but was incredibly clawed distant by Deane.

That turned retired to beryllium a point-saver arsenic nan Lurgan Blues held connected for a hard-earned constituent that intends they person mislaid conscionable 1 of their past five.

Portadown produced different late, precocious show to drawback a stock of nan points successful a 2-2 tie pinch Coleraine astatine Shamrock Park.

The visitors collapsed nan deadlock wrong nan opening 10 minutes, Rhyss Campbell pinch his 2nd extremity successful arsenic galore games.

The winger started nan move retired connected nan near wing, bursting into nan area past Lee Chapman.

His first effort was blocked but pinch nan location defence incapable to clear nan erstwhile Dungannon Swifts man reacted quickly to lash nan shot precocious into nan tile of nan nett from six yards.

The Bannsiders doubled their lead midway done nan 2nd half acknowledgment to a good struck Matthew Shevlin punishment aft Cameron Stewart had been upended successful nan container but Portadown came roaring back.

Ryan Mayse thought he had scored only for Brown to nutrient a awesome fingertip prevention but minutes later he did find nan net, breaking nan offside trap to works a debased changeable into nan bottommost corner.

Portadown threw everything astatine their opponents successful nan closing moments and were rewarded erstwhile sub’ Dougie Wilson slid successful to people successful nan 96th infinitesimal to rescue a constituent for Niall Currie’s never-say-die team.