Irish League Football

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Portadown manager Niall Currie says his side "need a better performance" than their display against Glenavon when they travel to the Oval to play Glentoran on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

Portadown sealed three points in the Mid-Ulster derby thanks to Luke Wilson's first-half header.

However, Currie acknowledged that his side need more presence upfront ahead of their trip to east Belfast.

"We need to be better," Currie told BBC Sport NI after their victory against the Lurgan Blues.

"We have to be honest about it, we need a better performance than we got against Glenavon, when we got a rugged, dogged performance.

"Our backline, our centre halves and full backs were brilliant and the midfielders, but we need a bit more offensively for sure."

Glentoran's confidence will be high coming into the match after their first ever Boxing Day victory at Windsor Park over Linfield.

As for Niall Currie's side, they will look to register back-to-back league victories for just the third time this season.

"We need to get our wide men more in the game and certainly upfront. Offensively we were poor [against Glenavon] but everyone worked hard collectively without the ball," Currie continued.

"We want to be more on the front foot and create more chances."

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Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton says his team must be up for the challenge of facing a "top-class" Larne side at Inver Park on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Reds' recent eight-game unbeaten run in the league was ended by a 2-1 defeat by Crusaders at Solitude on Boxing Day, their sixth loss of the season.

They now face a trip to the league leaders, who are unbeaten in their last 11 league games and Magilton is urging his players to show a response to their disappointing display against the Crues on Friday.

"Larne are a top-class side and we know going down there it is always a difficult game; we have to be ready and match them and come out with a bit more," he told BBC Sport NI.

"One thing you can never be done on is work ethic, attitude, and application – and [on Boxing Day], we were."

Magilton has demanded more from his side than they showed at Solitude against the Crues as they aim to get back to winning ways and stay in the top six.

"We didn't work hard enough without the ball or with it. We were nowhere near our levels; we looked lethargic and there were a lot of poor performances [on Friday]," he added.

"We have to lick our wounds and go again, that wasn't acceptable."

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Glenavon manager Michael O'Connor said he was happy with how his side performed but was left disappointed with the result after the Lurgan Blues' 1-0 loss against Portadown at Shamrock Park.

Luke Wilson's header broke the deadlock in the first half with the away side unable to find a leveller, despite having multiple good chances.

O'Connor's side were aiming to register back-to-back victories for the first time this season after an impressive win over Linfield last weekend, but the result means they remain six points adrift at the bottom of the Irish Premiership.

"I thought we were the better team," O'Connor told BBC Sport NI.

"The goal comes from a corner. We have shown the boys clips of how Portadown are really dangerous from corners, but I thought from then onwards there was only one team looking to play forward and looking dangerous.

"I am happy with the performance and how they went about it, but I am disappointed with the result as it is all about getting three points at this point of the season."

Glenavon will welcome Dungannon Swifts who have lost just one of their last six games, to Mourneview Park in their final game of 2025 on Tuesday.

Despite Rodney McAree's side's impressive form, O'Connor is optimistic that his team can come away with three valuable points.

"If you look at our home form since I have come in, we have won four out of five," O'Connor continued.

"At home we always look to pick up maximum points. Our away form this season, we have lost every game.

"If you look against Portadown, if we keep playing like that and add more quality in the last third, I think we will be alright."

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Coleraine manager manager Ruaidhri Higgins lamented his side's failure to turn their possession into tangible reward in the form of goals as the Bannsiders' title aspirations suffered a further significant blow with a 2-0 Boxing Day defeat by Ballymena United.

The loss was a second in succession for Higgins' charges and a fourth in seven Premiership outings.

Coleraine remain second in the league table but are six points adrift of leaders Larne, having played two games more.

"Gutted with the result and I think the two goals that we gave up were in periods where we had momentum in the game, which is the most frustrating thing," Higgins told BBC Sport NI after the game at the Warden Street Showgrounds.

"I think they had two chances in the game through Daire O'Connor and he scored both goals, but it's a derby game on Boxing Day and it's all about the result and we've come out on the wrong end, simple as that.

"We had chances to work Sean O'Neill - he made two unbelievable saves in the first half and we had a load of opportunities around the goalmouth and we haven't capitalised.

"They're the moments in games of football where you need to punish the opposition, when you have momentum and dominance in the game and we didn't do that."

Higgins added that he and the players wanted to reward their large travelling support who had made the trip up the A26 on Friday.

"We took nearly 2000 supporters from Coleraine here today and we wanted to pick up the three points for them and we've failed to do that. It's a really frustrating afternoon."

Next up for Higgins' men is the visit of champion Linfield to Ballycastle Road on Tuesday.

The Blues' 2-0 reverse at the hands of Glentoran meant they also have lost two in a row and are losing ground on leaders Larne.

"We're very clear about the direction we want to go but there are going to be bumps in the road.

"This is a challenge for us as a group. We have Linfield on Tuesday and we have to try and win the game and put in a brave performance.

"You're going to kicks in the teeth along the way but it's about how you bounce back and we've got to roll our sleeves up."

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Larne assistant manager Keith O'Hara says that the Inver Reds showed "great strength and determination" in their 2-1 Boxing Day victory against Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

It was the home side who went ahead shortly after the restart when Paul Heatley converted after a pass from BJ Burns.

However, goals from Tiarnan O'Connor and Paul O'Neill in the final 10 minutes extended the Inver Reds' unbeaten run to 11 games.

"It is a tough place to come," O'Hara told BBC Sport NI.

"Obviously to go a goal down and for us to score two goals and with a late winner, it is a nice feeling.

"We had a few illnesses and light injuries, and it shows great strength and determination from the boys who were given the opportunity to showcase themselves."

Carrick are now without a win in their last seven league matches with manager Stephen Baxter admitting that he was frustrated that his side didn't come away from the east Antrim derby with anything.

"We got a great goal. BJ Burns' pass to open the game up for Paul Heatley and the quality of his finish are superb," Baxter said.

"There is a bit of disappointment in here today as we have played really well.

"They [Larne] are going to be a team challenging to win the league this year and we were as good, if not better than them today."

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Crusaders assistant manager David Rainey said his side "gave everything and deservedly won" the Boxing Day north Belfast derby by beating Cliftonville 2-1 at Solitude.

An own goal from Ryan Curran and a header from Adam Brooks were enough to give the Crues a much-needed win, despite Odhran Casey scoring a late consolation for Cliftonville.

The victory ended a run of six league games without a win and moved them up to 10th, eight points clear of bottom side Glenavon and Rainey was pleased with his side's endeavours.

"Huge three points. Any time you come here, it's difficult to get anything, but to take three points on Boxing Day is massive for us," he told BBC Sport NI,

"I said last week, coming off the back of a good performance but a bad result [a 1-0 defeat against Larne], that we had to bring that into today, and I think, to a man, for 90 minutes, we gave everything and deservedly won the game."

Rainey singled out goalkeeper Musa Dibaga, who made a string of impressive saves, for praise.

"Big Musa was outstanding. He came for most crosses, made punches, and pulled off a couple of great saves," Rainey added.

"The free-kick save [from Jack Keaney's effort] stands out in the mind, getting down low to his bottom corner. He stood up to everything they threw at us and helped us come away with the win."

Crusaders are next in action on Tuesday, when they host Carrick Rangers at Seaview.

A second successive league win would help the Crues move five points clear of Stephen's Baxter men and pull further away from relegation trouble.

"We know exactly what Carrick will bring. They'll come to try to take three points from us, and we'll have to stand up to that again.

"It's another test and a different one. Today was open, next week could be cagey; it could be all set pieces, who knows? But if we show what we showed today, then we should be okay."

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Ballymena United boss Oran Kearney praised the contributions of Kian Corbally and Daire O'Connor in the Sky Blues' 2-0 Boxing Day derby win over Coleraine.

Corbally laid on both of O'Connor's goals, which helped Kearney to his first win as Ballymena manager against his former side.

And Kearney believes his side "probably deserved" the victory, which ended their recent five-game winless run.

"To a man, I thought the players were outstanding. Coleraine have injuries too, but we have 10 or 11 players unavailable. That makes it tough, but we just have to find a way of setting up to cope with that," Kearney told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought Kian was the closest thing we had to a striker today. He's very intelligent, he picked up good positions on the pitch, and the two balls for the goals were outstanding passes. Delighted for him, and delighted for Daire too, we're finally getting him up to speed.

"He's getting close to the stage where he's able to accomplish the full 90 minutes without cramping up and he's been a real asset; he has weighed in with some important goals over the past few weeks."

The win moved the Sky Blues to within five points of sixth-place Cliftonville and with games against Bangor on Tuesday and bottom side Glenavon on Saturday, 3 January to come, Kearney hopes his side can string a run of wins together and close the gap to the top half.

"Three points is what we needed and is the most pleasing aspect of it. We started off with a defeat, we got a draw last week, but we are intent on trying to move up the table and have some sort of stab at making the top six," he added.

"We've got to build on this, we've raised the bar and shown the levels we can hit, now they've got to strive for that every game."

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Glentoran manager Declan Devine said his side "really deserved" to win their first ever Boxing Day 'Big Two' derby at Windsor Park.

Joe Thomson secured the bragging rights for the east Belfast side with a stylish strike on 29 minutes.

The Glens have now won back-to-back league games after previously going five games without a win.

"I am over the moon. I am delighted for our players who make big sacrifices, as all players do over Christmas and I am delighted for their families," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"I am delighted for our owner because he is a brilliant man to work for, but the most important thing is to send an incredible away support away home happy so they can enjoy their Christmas.

"Even with a tough few weeks, they have stayed behind the team and when I first came to the club unity was key and everyone leaves the building happy.

"It was a really important win, but also one we really deserved."

Thomson broke the deadlock after he was gifted time in the middle of the pitch to stride forward before he found the top corner with a fine finish.

The goal is the midfielder's first of the season, with Devine adding the shot was "simply sensational."

"Thomson has been stop-start since he joined, but we brought him here to score goals and what an absolute goal," Devine continued.

"Our build-up play up to the goal from one side to the other side of the pitch, the lay off and the strike were simply sensational.

"We asked them today to make someone a hero, to go out there and potentially get the winner. To be fair to Joe, he deserved every credit he gets today."

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Linfield manager David Healy says his side "need a little bit more fire in their bellies" after their first ever Boxing Day 'Big Two' derby defeat at Windsor Park.

Joe Thomson's goal secured the three points for the east Belfast side and ended the Blues' 41-year unbeaten home record on Boxing Day.

The result also means that the defending champions have lost their past two games after going down 2-1 to bottom of the table Glenavon.

"I don't think there was too much in the game. I think Glentoran, to their credit, were slightly better. We huffed and puffed a little bit," Healy told BBC Sport NI.

"It is always disappointing to lose a derby, especially coming off the back of a loss last week. It's important that we responded in some sort of way and we didn't today.

"I can take as much responsibility as I can and want to do but, when the players cross the line, they need a little bit more fire in their belly and a bit more today and we just couldn't get that."

The Blues have won just one of their past four league games and are now 13 points behind league leaders Larne.

Linfield return to action mid-week when they travel to the Coleraine Showgrounds to face Ruaidhri Higgins' side on Tuesday, with Healy adding that his team will need a "better performance" against the Bannsiders.

"Certainly not ideal. We are miles off it," Healy continued when asked about their position in the Irish Premiership table.

"We are taking it game by game. We will look at the Coleraine game, try to get a better performance and a better result.

"Coleraine is a difficult place to go. I know there were beaten in their derby so they will look for a response."

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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.