Summary

  1. Postpublished at 15:08 BST 18 April

    Linfield 0-0 Coleraine

    Sam Taylor finds a yard of space after getting on the end of Matthew Fitzpatrick's flick-on and lets fly with his left foot, but Ryan Schofield is equal to it and saves to his right.

    Electric start at Windsor Park up both ends.

  2. GREAT SAVE!published at 15:06 BST 18 April

    Linfield 0-0 Coleraine

    David Walsh denies Joel Cooper from opening the scoring from the visitors with a smart save with his outstretched right foot.

    Zane Kola Okoro then tries his luck as the ball falls invitingly for him outside the box from the resulting corner, but his strike is once again saved by Walsh.

  3. Postpublished at 15:06 BST 18 April

    Bangor 0-0 Carrick Rangers

    Reece Neale stands over a free-kick from the halfway line, lofting a ball toward the back post for Lewis Francis.

    There is too much on it, however, and the delivery sails harmlessly behind for a goal-kick.

  4. Postpublished at 15:03 BST 18 April

    Bangor 0-0 Carrick Rangers

    Ryan McKay slides a pass down the flank for Danny Gibson, who breaks forward at pace.

    Gibson attempts to whip a low delivery into the area, but Lewis Francis stands firm, blocking the cross and clearing the danger.

  5. KICK-OFFpublished at 15:02 BST 18 April

    Ballymena United 0-0 Portadown

    The action starts at the Showgrounds.

  6. KICK-OFFpublished at 15:00 BST 18 April

    Glenavon 0-0 Crusaders

    The stakes could scarcely be higher as referee Tony Clarke starts the action at a sunny Mourneview Park.

    Defeat for Glenavon will bring their 21-year stint in the top flight to an end.

    Any other result and it will all be down to the final day of the campaign.

  7. Postpublished at 15:00 BST 18 April

    Linfield 0-0 Coleraine

    Early chance for Linfield within the first minute as Finlay Ross' effort from a corner is blocked on the six-yard line by a Coleraine defender.

  8. KICK-OFFpublished at 14:59 BST 18 April

    Bangor 0-0 Carrick Rangers

    Tiarnan Mulvenna gets the ball rolling at Clandeboye Park.

  9. KICK-OFFpublished at 14:59 BST 18 April

    Linfield 0-0 Coleraine

    Linfield debutant Harry Allen gets the action under way at Windsor Park for the home side.

  10. KICK-OFFpublished at 14:59 BST 18 April

    Cliftonville 0-0 Dungannon Swifts

    We are under way at Solitude as the home side get the ball rolling.

  11. Currie departs role as Portadown managerpublished at 14:55 BST 18 April

    It was confirmed on Wednesday evening that Niall Currie had left his role as Portadown boss with immediate effect with two games of the Irish Premiership season remaining.

    Currie took over as Ports boss for a second spell in October 2022 after previously managing the club between 2016 and 2018.

    His last game in charge was last Saturday's heavy 4-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Crusaders in which Currie criticised his side's "abysmal" performance.

    Currie could not prevent the club from being relegated in the 2022-23 season, but he led the Ports back to the top flight at the first time of asking as they won the Championship title the following campaign.

    They also reached the BetMcLean Cup final in 2024, but were beaten in the final by Linfield.

    He then guided Portadown to an eighth place finish in their first campaign back in the Irish Premiership last season, two points off seventh and a spot in the European play-offs.

    The club currently sit 10th with two games left to play, away to Ballymena United today and away to Bangor on Saturday, 25 April.

    The 53-year-old has also managed Dundela, Carrick Rangers, Ards, Loughgall and Annagh United.

    Portadown manager Niall CurrieImage source, Inpho
    Image caption,

    Niall Currie has parted company with Portadown

  12. Was this the most dramatic relegation battle ever?published at 14:49 BST 18 April

    A captain's header, an overhead kick, a controversial decision, a saved penalty, a goalmouth scramble and three different teams in bottom spot.

    All of this happened across two matches in the final six minutes of the Irish Premiership season in 2016, and it flipped the relegation battle on its head.

    Miguel Chines' spectacular injury-time finish, as well as late controversy at Milltown, kept Carrick Rangers in the top flight and sent Warrenpoint Town down.

    Today, Crusaders take on Glenavon in what is set to be a tense relegation battle at Mourneview Park.

    But 10 years ago, was Carrick's great escape the most dramatic conclusion to a relegation battle in history?

    Read more about how the relegation drama unfolded 10 years ago by reading Andy Gray's feature piece here.

    Miguel Chines' overhead kick in injury-time secured Carrick Rangers' place in the top flightImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Miguel Chines' overhead kick in injury-time secured Carrick Rangers' place in the top flight

  13. 'First half we were really on top' - Devinepublished at 14:45 BST 18 April

    Fri night result: Glentoran 0-0 Larne

    Glentoran manager Declan Devine also praised his side's performance during the end-to-end match at the Oval on Friday night.

    However, he added that his side should have taken advantage of their first-half dominance and broken the deadlock.

    "The first half we were really on top of the game and that is probably when we needed to score and get Larne to speed up the play," Devine said.

    "I thought they killed the game from early on, we timed the first half and the ball was in play 23 minutes and that tells it all.

    "Second half I didn't think we had as much control of the game but still had one or two half opportunities to get the goal."

    Glentoran manager Declan DevineImage source, Inpho
    Image caption,

    Declan Devine's side sit three points behind Larne going into next Saturday's closing fixtures

  14. Glens draw 'had a bit of eveything' - Haveronpublished at 14:42 BST 18 April

    Fri night result: Glentoran 0-0 Larne

    Larne manager Gary Haveron said he is "happy to be leaving with a point" after their 0-0 draw at the Oval moves the Inver Reds to within a point of securing their third title in four years.

    The home side dominated the first half, but Andrew Mills made two impressive saves after the restart to deny the visitors.

    The result means that Larne have a three-point lead at the top of the table going into their final fixture against Dungannon Swifts.

    "I thought we could have nicked it with James Simpson's chance at the end," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

    "Happy to be leaving with a point, not what we came for as we wanted to get it done tonight and get the three points. It wasn't to be, but we'll go onto next week."

    The Inver Reds struggled to break into the final third in the first half, but the Glens couldn't take advantage of their dominance.

    However, in the second half, Haveron's side had multiple good chances but Matty Lusty could not keep his shot on target, while Mills was equal to the other efforts.

    "We had a bit of everything there. I thought we were so resolute in our defending and the resilience we showed in the 90 minutes," Haveron continued.

    "We knew that the Glens were going to come and have a go and that is what they done and I thought our boys were excellent out of possession.

    "In possession, we could have been better but given the stakes and pressure, they handled it brilliantly."

    Gary Haveron appaluds his players after Friday night's gameImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Gary Haveron applauds his players after Friday night's game

  15. Highlights: Ballymena and Bangor play out goalless drawpublished at 14:38 BST 18 April

    Wed night result: Ballymena United 0-0 Bangor

    Watch highlights from Wednesday evening's rearranged Premiership game as Ballymena United drew 0-0 with Bangor at the Showgrounds.

    Media caption,

    Highlights: Ballymena United 0-0 Bangor

  16. Team newspublished at 14:33 BST 18 April

    Ballymena United v Portadown (15:00 BST)

    Coming into today’s fixture Oran Kearney makes a whole host of changes to the squad which drew at home to Bangor on Wednesday evening.

    Daniel Lafferty, Matthew Clarke, Shane McEleney, Fuad Sule, Kian Corbally, and Thomas Duffin all come in.

    Daire O’Connor, Joel Thompson, Daithí McCallion, and Adam Sullivan all drop to the bench from the midweek fixture.

    Gary Thompson’s first squad as manager of Portadown makes four changes from the 4-0 defeat to Crusaders.

    Divin Isamala, James Teelan, Shay McCartan, and Benjamin Wells all make starts for Thompson, as he seeks to start his managerial career with a victory.

    Ballymena United: Breen, Lafferty, Rocks, Rutkowski, Clarke (CP), Edogun, McEleney, Sule, Corbally, Hood, Duffin.

    Subs: Wade, Jarvis, O’Connor, O’Reilly, Thompson, McCallion, Sullivan.

    Portadown: Moore, Isamala, Altintop (CP) MacKinnon, Fyfe, Teelan, Minzamba, McCartan, Towe, Wells, Carson

    Subs: Francey, Gibson, Tetteh, Scott, Annett, Quinn, Hudak.

    Ballymena United v PortadownImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Ballymena United v Portadown

  17. Top six and bottom sixpublished at 14:30 BST 18 April

    Saturday 18 April

    Here is how the table looks ahead of today's Irish Premiership action.

    Irish PremiershipImage source, BBC S
  18. Team newspublished at 14:25 BST 18 April

    Cliftonville v Dungannon Swifts (15:00 BST)

    If ever two sides needed to find a bit of form it's Cliftonville and Dungannon Swifts.

    Wins have been hard to come by for both teams since the start of the year with the Swifts recording only three league victories in that time.

    The Reds have fared marginally better over the same period with five wins including a three-game winning streak at the start of March.

    With only two league games to go both Jim Magilton and Rodney McAree will know the importance of building some momentum ahead of the crucial end-of-season the European play-offs.

    The Swifts currently hold the upper-hand over today's hosts with three wins in their previous four meetings this season, including their recent Irish Cup semi-final meeting.

    Cliftonville sit one point ahead of their opponents in the league table which could prove crucial in the play-offs by giving them one less game to play.

    Reds boss Magilton makes three changes following last week's 6-2 defeat at Coleraine with Harry Wilson, Josh Kelly and Adam Carroll drafted into the starting XI. Conor Pepper and Joe Gormley drop to the bench with Brian Healy missing out completely.

    The Swifts also suffered a heavy loss last time out, going down 5-0 at Glentoran, As a result McAree shuffles his pack also making four changes.

    In come Declan Dunne, Kealan Dillon, Shea Gordon and Sean McAllister as Alex Henderson, Peter Maguire, Mal Smith and Andrew Mitchell all drop to the Bench.

    Cliftonville: Morrison, Wilson, Hale, Curran, Conlan, Glynn, Kelly, Toole, McStravick, Kelly, Carroll.

    Subs: Ridd, Pepper, Gormley, Robertson, Hawthorne, Sherirdan, McGarry.

    Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Marron, Kelly, Dillon, Alves, Glenny, Gordon, Doyle, Wallace, Bigirimana, McAllister.

    Subs: Henderson, Maguire, Knowles, Smith, Mitchell, Anderson, Moore.

    Cliftonville v Dungannon SwiftsImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Cliftonville v Dungannon Swifts

  19. Team newspublished at 14:21 BST 18 April

    Glenavon v Crusaders (15:00 BST)

    The harsh reality is that this eagerly-awaited clash at Mourneview Park will be the penultimate Premiership appearance for one of these two top flight stalwarts.

    Glenavon make two midfield changes from the side which battled out a nervy scoreless draw at Bangor a week ago.

    Ben Wilson starts a league game for the first time since January following a lengthy injury absence, with Sean Carlin joining him in the engine room. John Mountney and Charlie Lindsay drop to the bench.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, Declan Caddell opts for the same 11 players who halted a 13-game winless streak in some style last weekend against Portadown.

    Glenavon: Carney, McMullan, Murphy, McKeown, Burns, Wilson, Carlin, Campbell, Falls, McGovern, Ferris.

    Subs: O'Kane, Lowe, Gilmore, Harkin, Lindsay, Quinn, Mountney.

    Crusaders: Dibaga, Forsythe, Weir, Barr, Bruce, Williamson, Forsythe, McKechnie, Dunlop, Brooks, Bryden.

    Subs: Blaney, Jewitt-White, Thorndike, Nixon, Maguire, Rough, Anderson.

    Glenavon v CrusadersImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Glenavon v Crusaders

  20. Team newspublished at 14:18 BST 18 April

    Bangor v Carrick Rangers (15:00 BST)

    Lee Feeney has made four changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Ballymena United.

    Liam Hassin, Stephen McGuinness, Lewis Harrison and Ben Cushnie return to the starting line-up.

    They replace Alfie Mitchell, Mick Morgan, and Mark Haughey, while Oisin Devlin is unavailable due to suspension.

    Stephen Baxter also opts for four alterations following last week’s 3-2 defeat to the Sky Blues.

    Eoghan McCawl, Kyle Cherry, Ryan McKay, and Ryan Waide are drafted in for the visitors.

    Adam Lecky, Matthew Snoddy, and Matthew Olosunde drop out of the side, while Benjamin Buchanan-Rolleston misses out following his red card against Oran Kearney’s side.

    Bangor: Deane, Neale, Harrison, Hassin, Mulvenna, Cushnie, Lynch, Francis, Boyd, McGuinness, Hughes.

    Subs: McMahon, Haughey, Garrett, Ritchie, Hannan, Watson, Matier.

    Carrick Rangers: Gartside, Place, Burns, Callacher, Waide, Gibson, McCullough, Steele, Cherry, McKay, McCawl.

    Subs: Donnelly, Lecky, Boyd, Glendinning, Snoddy, Olosunde, Jeffers.

    Bangor v Carrick RangersImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Bangor v Carrick Rangers