Irish League Football

Image source, Pacemaker

Crusaders' assistant manager David Rainey feels Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Larne is "one that got away from us".

Benji Magee's first half goal proved to be enough for the Invermen to claim a victory that moved them to the top of the table as Crusaders suffered a fifth-straight league defeat.

It leaves the north Belfast club second from bottom and while results haven't gone their way, Rainey felt they could be happy with Saturday's performance.

"I thought we deserved at least a draw from the game," Rainey told BBC Sport NI.

"The last 30 minutes we had Larne under a lot of pressure.

"I know they got a penalty the keeper saved, but Musa [Dibaga] hasn't had a lot to do today, whereas they had a lot of goalmouth action where their keeper has made a lot of good saves and a few slipped past the post as well.

"The hunger and desire we showed today is a positive and that's what we will take from the game."

Crusaders certainly had opportunities in the game with Fraser Bryden unable to finish and when he did, his second half effort was ruled out for offside.

They also thought they had a penalty of their own in stoppage time when it seemed referee Tony Clarke pointed to the sport, but then reversed the decision.

"I'm not sure if the linesman or fourth [official] overruled, but Tony gave the penalty only to be told there was minimal contact and the linesman gave a bye-ball," Rainey added.

Sean McAllister says he is "loving every minute" at Dungannon Swifts after scoring an eight-minute hat-trick in the win over Portadown.

The 23-year-old starred in the 4-2 victory over the Swifts' Mid-Ulster rivals and now has five goals in his last three matches.

McAllister linked up with Rodney McAree's side in the summer when he left Everton after six years with the Premier League club.

"It's going from full-time football into part-time, but I needed that step," McAllister said when asked how he had found adjusting to the Irish Premiership.

"I was out for a long period of time and my legs weren't letting me go into full-time.

"Since I've come in with Dungannon, they have been unbelievable with me and managed me well. I'm loving every minute of it."

McAllister said Dungannon were "brilliant" in the first half as they blew Portadown away.

The 23-year-old opened the scoring in the 14th minute, netted again in the 16th and scored both his and Dungannon's third on 22 minutes.

Adam Glenny then scored a penalty to make it four, and the Swifts held on to win despite two second-half goals from the Ports.

"It was brilliant. In the first half I thought we did very well and we were all over them.

"We put away every chance we had.

"In the second half we probably took our foot off the gas a little bit and let them back into it, but it was good to get the result in the end."

After a prolific run in front of goal, McAllister added that he wants to keep that form up over the festive period.

"I hope so, that's what my main aim is," he said.

"I want to get as many goals as I can and play well every week."

Image source, Pacemaker

Larne boss Gary Haveron praised the impact of match winner Benji Magee, who played through illness in the 1-0 victory at Seaview.

Magee netted a fine solo goal in the first half, the second successive game in which he has scored the winning goal for Larne.

The victory extended the Invermen's unbeaten run to 10 league games and ensured they will be top of the table at Christmas.

"It was a wonder goal to win the game. Benji did it last week against the Glens with a fantastic solo goal and that is what he is capable of," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

"Truth be told, he shouldn't have played today, he's been sick all week and hasn't trained but because of injuries to Conor McKendry, Mark Randall, Dylan Sloan and Andy Ryan to name a few [he had to]. Benji wanted to play and contribute and did he.

"His overall performance was really good, he drove at them and got in dangerous positions. His decision-making was good, and he got the telling contribution in the game."

Haveron was frustrated that his side's margin of victory was not greater as they squandered multiple chances to build on their one-goal advantage.

"It was tight at times, tighter than it needed to be, we missed a lot of chances in the game and if I am going to be critical of the boys, we should have had the game dead and buried before Crusaders had that late rally," he added.

"They put a lot of ball in the box, but we dealt with it really well and another pleasing clean sheet."

Image source, PACEMAKER

Glenavon boss Michael O'Connor says the bottom side fear no-one at home after stunning Linfield 2-1 at Mourneview Park.

Ben Wilson and Paul McGovern struck for the Lurgan hosts before Charlie Allen netted a late consolation for the champions.

Glenavon have now won four of their last five home games to boost hopes of escaping relegation.

"We're delighted - we beat the Glens at home and now we've beaten Linfield at home," said O'Connor.

"We fancy our chances against anyone who comes here. We got two goals and I thought we could've had more.

"Our defensive line was really good in the second half - it was really disciplined."

The victory takes Glenavon to within five points of 11th-placed Crusaders as they prepare for the Mid-Ulster derby against Portadown on Boxing Day.

Image source, PACEMAKER

Linfield boss David Healy says he is concerned about his team's away form after a shock 2-1 defeat by bottom side Glenavon at Mourneview Park.

Second-half strikes from Ben Wilson and Paul McGovern gave the hosts a deserved victory.

It's a blow to Linfield's hopes of retaining the title as they now sit 10 points behind leaders Larne with a game in hand.

"It was a disappointing performance, ultimately leading to a poor result." said Healy.

"We weren't at it today, we weren't at the races and my biggest concern is that away from home it's the third time we've lost.

"Ballymena, Portadown and Glenavon - all similar type of 'stand up and be counted' away grounds and we've not done that today."

Linfield rarely threatened until Charlie Allen pulled one back deep into added time.

"We knew the importance of coming here and being big and strong - we weren't." added Healy.

"We lost poor goals. It's frustrating, disappointing and the players are hurting."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton was frustrated that his side were unable to build on a bright start as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Bangor.

Ryan Curran slotted home his 100th goal for the Reds from the penalty spot to give them the lead, but Ben Arthurs capitalised on a mistake from Jonny Addis to equalise.

Neither side could find a winner in the second half as Cliftonville stretchered their unbeaten run in the league to eight games, but they dropped down to sixth in the table following Dungannon Swifts' victory.

"I thought we controlled the game and we started really well. We controlled the tempo and the flow, passed the ball really well and scored from a really good move, obviously ending with a penalty," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"Then Jonny Addis, who doesn't make many mistakes, made one, and credit to Ben Arthurs. It's 1-1 at half-time, you regroup for the second half, but I just didn't think we played with the same impetus."

Magilton was disappointed that Cliftonville's substitutes in the second half did not have the desired impact.

"We had to take Conor (Pepper) off as a precaution with his hamstring, so we kind of lost the flow," he explained.

"The substitutions came on but didn't add the momentum you need. We didn't have enough efforts on goal and didn't test their goalkeeper enough. We created one or two half-chances, but all in all, it's a point away from home.

"We looked like we might do better, but we didn't manage to get all three points."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Bangor boss Lee Feeney said his side's 1-1 draw with Cliftonville at Clandeboye Park was a "fair result".

Ryan Curran's penalty put the Reds ahead, but Ben Arthurs equalised for the Seasiders with his ninth goal of the season.

Both sides had chances to win it in the second half, but neither went on to find the winner and Feeney said it was a "hard-fought" point for the Seasiders.

"It was a great ding-dong game. We knew we were going to have to deal with the quality they have and suffer without possession, and we've done that really well," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I think we conceded a poor penalty. I don't know if it was a penalty, but we reacted really well. We got ourselves back in it and, at 1-1, I felt we deserved to be where we were and see the game out as a draw. I think it was a fair result."

Feeney was disappointed with decisions he felt went against his side in the first half, with Arthurs having a goal ruled out for offside before Curran's opener.

"I believe he was onside. Big Ben would be an honest bloke if he said he was onside; he must have been," Feeney added.

"I thought there were a lot of big moments in that first half that didn't go our way with decisions. I felt the penalty, I felt Ben's offside, I felt Lewis Harrison's booking - were very dubious, but we reacted well, we remained professional, we defended well, and it's a good point."

Image source, PACEMAKER

Glentoran manager Declan Devine praised his players after the 2-1 comeback victory over leaders Coleraine at the Oval.

Matthew Shevlin put the visitors in front but Coleraine lost Dylan Boyle to a red card before late goals from Pat Hoban and Jonathan Russell clinched a dramatic win.

It also brought a five-match winless run in the league to an end as the Glens moved eight points behind the Bannsiders and Larne.

"It was a bit of a crazy game - it was a battle and we're obviously delighted to end that run of results," said Devine.

"It shows that when when we are at our best we are more than a match for anyone.

"No-one's getting carried away. It's a good win but I actually though we played better last week and lost.

"But the big plus for me is that it's credit to the players - it's so much down to them and going a goal behind it's very easy to buckle.

"The fans also deserved that - the noise they made and the appreciation they have given to the players."

Image source, Pacemaker

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says his side are "excited" about Friday night's Irish Premiership game against Glentoran, a match which will be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website (19:45 GMT).

The Bannsiders sit top of the table ahead of the encounter at the Oval, with the Glens in fourth spot, 11 points adrift of the pacesetters with three games in hand over their opponents on Friday night.

The visitors to east Belfast have won their past three league games after suffering consecutive defeats to Cliftonville and Larne.

"Glentoran are at home so I'm sure they'll come out and have a right go," said Higgins.

"I think that's the only way they know and it should make for an open game. It's a game we're looking forward to and excited about.

"We just need to do the basics well. I'm sure it'll be a really difficult encounter."

Glentoran have picked up just two points from their past five league outings but that is not causing any complacency in the Coleraine camp.

"I know that Glentoran have recently had a difficult run of results but if you actually look at the performances against Cliftonville and Larne, in particular, they deserved to win both games and took just one point.

"So, if I was a Glentoran supporter, I would still be optimistic because of some of their performances.

"It would be different if they were getting beaten and deserved to be beaten - they haven't deserved the points total that they've got over the past few games.

"Three points would be very important if we could pick them up. It would be more daylight between us but we just have to try and treat the game in isolation and try and win the fixture that's in front of us."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Details of the next eight Irish Premiership matches that will be shown live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website have been revealed, with the County Antrim Shield final also set to be streamed.

Defending champions Linfield's trip to Taylors Avenue to face Carrick Rangers on Tuesday, 13 January (19:45 GMT) will be shown on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website as will the Blues' home match against Gary Haveron's Larne on Friday, 16 January (19:45).

The County Antrim Shield final at the Ballymena Showgrounds between Cliftonville and Carrick Rangers on Tuesday, 20 January (19:45) will also be streamed.

Title challengers Coleraine's match against bottom of the table Glenavon on Friday, 23 January (19:45) will be live streamed as well as Glentoran v Cliftonville on Sunday, 25 January (14:00).

The BBC cameras will then be at Inver Park for Glentoran's trip to face Larne on Tuesday, 10 February (19:45).

Three days after, Dungannon Swifts against Cliftonville (19:45) will be streamed with the Big Two derby between Linfield and Glentoran at Windsor Park also on the BBC iPlayer and website on Saturday, 21 February (18:00).

The final game of this set of live streams sees Cliftonville host Linfield on Sunday, 1 March at Solitude (15:00).

Irish Premiership games to be streamed on BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website (times GMT):

Tuesday, 13 January: Carrick Rangers v Linfield, 19:45

Friday, 16 January: Linfield v Larne, 19:45

Tuesday, 20 January: County Antrim Shield final: Cliftonville v Carrick Rangers, 19:45

Friday, 23 January: Coleraine v Glenavon, 19:45

Sunday, 25 January: Glentoran v Cliftonville, 14:00

Tuesday, 10 February: Larne v Glentoran, 19:45

Friday, 13 February: Dungannon Swifts v Cliftonville, 19:45

Saturday, 21 February: Linfield v Glentoran, 18:00

Sunday, 1 March: Cliftonville v Linfield, 15:00