Glens, Carrick and Ports win as Reds and Coleraine draw

BBC News

20 hours ago

Glentoran made it back-to-back wins to start the Irish Premiership season as they beat Bangor 1-0 at the Oval.Carrick Rangers also picked up a second successive victory as they defeated Glenavon 1-0 at Taylors Avenue courtesy of Danny Gibson's goal.Portadown got off and running with a thumping 4-1 win against nine-man Dungannon Swifts, who have lost their first two games.Cliftonville and Coleraine played out a drab 0-0 draw at Solitude.
Glens grab second league win
After a slow start, Glentoran came within a whisker of opening the scoring midway through the first half.Ryan Cooney latched onto Ciaran Coll's cross-field pass and delivered a low cross into the area but the in-rushing Jordan Jenkins could only fire a shot off the underside of the crossbar from close range.It took a brilliant save by Gareth Deane to prevent the home side going in front four minutes before the interval as he dived to his right to superbly turn away Jordan Stewart's powerful header from Daniel Larmour's cross.Bangor spurned a glorious chance on 57 minutes after Tiarnan Mulvenna dispossessed defender Shane McEleney and cut the ball back across goal, but Michael Morgan's effort was saved by the face of Glentoran goalkeeper Andrew Mills.Glentoran eventually broke the deadlock on 67 minutes when Kyle Owens' attempted back header to his keeper was intercepted by Cooney, who nipped in to poke the ball past Deane and the Glens were able to hold on relatively comfortably to record back-to-back 1-0 victories in the league.
Carrick edge past Glenavon
Glenavon stopper Jacob Carney was called into action early in the match to gather both Adam Lecky's header and Danny Gibson's effort before, at the other end, Davy McDaid sent an effort just wide after connecting with Paddy Burns' throw-in.Carrick broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Paul Heatley's cross from near the byeline was fired home by Gibson from close range, for his third goal in the opening two games.Aidan Steele then tried to give the home side a more comfortable lead before the break, but the alert Carney denied his strong free-kick.After the restart, the away side believed that Stephen Mallon's set piece was handled in the box. However, referee Evan Boyce waved away their penalty appeals.As Glenavon pushed for a late equaliser, Jimmy Callacher made a crucial clearance off the line to divert substitute Michael O'Connor's strike away from goal.Carrick then went straight down the other end and Gibson had a chance to add to his tally for the afternoon, but his shot took a deflection and was quickly gathered by Carney.
Stalemate at Solitude
The points were shared at Solitude as defences dominated in a scoreless draw.Cliftonville started brightly and Rory Hale flashed a shot from distance narrowly past the far post in the opening minutes.Former Cliftonville defender Levi Ives forced debutant goalkeeper PJ Morrison into a smart save moments later before Jamie Glackin passed up the best chance of the first half, failing to find the target following fine play by right winger Lewis McGregor.Rhyss Campbell was forced off with injury following a tussle with Charles Dunne just before the break and Jim Magilton's woes were compounded moments after the restart when Luke Conlan was also forced off injured.The introduction of Eric McWoods injected pace into the Reds' attack and he presented Ryan Curran with the best chance of the game with 20 minutes remaining, but the striker steered his effort just the wrong side of the upright.McWoods himself came close to breaking the deadlock in the closing minutes but his spectacular overhead effort lacked power and was comfortably dealt with by visiting goalkeeper Aidan Harris.Declan McManus headed wide from a Ronan Doherty cross in the final minute of normal time but there was late drama still to come.Joe Gormley was waiting to pounce after a Jonny Addis long throw in made its way across goal but somehow Dean Jarvis, not long on the pitch, hooked the ball off the goal line to preserve a point for the visitors.More to follow.