It was dramatic day of Boxing Day action as Crusaders, Dungannon Swifts and Glenavon claim the bragging rights while the Big Two finishes 0-0. Here’s your Irish League round-up…
Glentoran 0 Linfield 0
David Walsh of Linfield avoids a red card after fouling David Fisher outside the area
Goalkeeper David Walsh was the hero as Linfield grabbed a priceless point against Big Two rivals Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.
The big shot stopper produced two moments of magic either side of half-time to deny Glens’ striker Jordan Jenkins from shooting his team into the lead.
It was a typical Festive dust-up, with referee Shane Andrews producing a staggering 10 yellow cards and two red.
Both teams finished the game with only 10 men, with the Blues defender Sam Roscoe and Glentoran skipper Marcus Kane taking the walk of shame.
Walsh was perhaps also fortunate to escape a sending off when he left his line to haul down Jenkins in the second half, but Comber official Andrews was happy with yellow.
The result means that the Blues lead at the top of the table has been cut to 12 points over Dungannon Swifts.
Coleraine 2 Ballymena United 2
Coleraine’s Matthew Shevlin scored a late equaliser against Ballymena United
Ballymena United drew a game for the first time this season as Coleraine rallied from a two-goal deficit to pick up a point at The Showgrounds.
After Rhyss Campbell struck the crossbar for the hosts, the Sky Blues took the lead on 32 minutes when Alex Gawne picked out Ethan Devine who headed into the back of the net.
The same combination doubled the visitors’ lead as Gawne once again had the vision to find Devine, with the striker firing beyond the reach of Rory Brown with a clever flick.
However, the second-half belonged to the Bannsiders as Jamie Glackin’s corner-kick was headed in by Cameron Stewart on 56 minutes, with an equaliser then arriving from the spot as Matthew Shevlin kept his composure with little more than 20 minutes remaining.
Coleraine had several chances thereafter to complete the turnaround as O’Neill smothered Shevlin’s close-range finish, before the Sky Blues stopper denied Campbell with an outstanding stop at the death.
Glenavon 2 Portadown 0
Portadown goalkeeper Aaron McCarey receives his marching orders
Glenavon moved off the bottom of the Sports Direct Premiership after tasting derby delight against local rivals Portadown.
Goals in each half from Peter Campbell and Niall Quinn extended Glenavon’s unbeaten record in the festive fixture, having last suffered defeat in 2012.
Campbell put the Lurgan Blues ahead in the 28th minute after finishing off a superb move that involved Len O’Sullivan and Christopher Atherton down the left.
Portadown had been flat after making the better start to the game and any feint hope of rescuing something from the game was extinguished just as the clock hit the 90 minute mark.
Ports’ goalkeeper Aaron McCarey took out Michael O’Connor just outside the box, was shown a red card and from the resulting free kick Quinn found the net with a sweet strike off a post.
Crusaders 2 Cliftonville 0
Kieran Offord celebrates his second goal against Cliftonville
A quickfire Kieran Offord double at the start of the second half gave Crusaders a 2-0 win over Cliftonville at Seaview.
Offord scored in both the 46th and 49th minutes to secure the points.
Larne 0 Carrick Rangers 0
Larne’s Mark Randall and Carrick’s Kyle Cherry
Larne were left to the rue three goals ruled out as they drew 0-0 with Carrick Rangers in the Boxing Day derby at Inver Park.
Cian Bolger and Matty Lusty had the ball in the net in the first half, while Andy Ryan did likewise in the second half.
All three were denied by what looked like a tight decision and the assistant’s flag as they failed to make up ground on league leaders Linfield.
Carrick now slip into the bottom two as they failed to beat their derby rivals for 17 games in a row.
Dungannon Swifts 2 Loughgall 1
The bleak midwinter continues for Loughgall, whose winless run stretched to seven games at Dungannon Swifts,
The league’s bottom side have had a difficult end to 2024 and unless their form turns sharply, the prospects of a happy new year look slim.
It didn’t get any better at Stangmore Park, as goals from Dean Curry and John McGovern secured victory for the Swifts.
Rodney McAree’s side, having lost against Linfield and Larne, avoided an unwanted hat-trick of home losses.
But Loughgall’s slide continues, with their last win coming on November 2 against Glenavon.
Here, a rare goal from Dean Curry set them on the path to another defeat.
It came in the 19th minute, from the latest in a series of early corners forced by the Swifts. This time Leo Alves got more accuracy on his cross, picking out the defender, who was free to guide in a header from six yards.
Dungannon could have been further ahead, with the likes of Adam Glenny and Tomas Galvin stretching the visitors’ defence with their runs.
A good move saw Galvin drift inside and cross, but McGovern slipped as the ball flashed in front of him.
Late in the half Glenny and Galvin combined again, with the latter’s cross finding Andrew Mitchell whose header was well saved.
Mitchell went close again after the break, nudging away Ben Murdock and testing Nathan Gartside with a smart shot.
Dungannon were dominant on the ball, but two big Loughgall chances reminded them the job wasn’t done.
First a defensive slip presented the ball to Adam Towe, but his shot was deflected wide.
From the corner, the ball reached Robbie Norton, but Declan Dunne saved well.
Maybe it was the wake-up call the Swifts needed.
McGovern blasted over from Curry’s cross, before securing the points with the second goal in the 67th minute.
Glenny played a lovely cross-field pass, releasing McGovern who cut in from the right and drove into the net.
There was, however, a nervous finish for Dungannon when Loughgall pulled a goal back five minutes from the end.
As a Dungannon move broke down, the away side countered and a cross from the right picked out Jay Boyd, who headed in.
Cue some home nerves, which only increased when Steven Scott somehow hit the bar from close range when he seemed certain to score.
However, the Swifts held on, as Loughgall’s troubles deepened.