Summary

  • Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville (Res)

  • Crusaders 3-0 Carrick Rangers (Res)

  • Dungannon 2-2 Ballymena Utd (Res)

  • Larne 6-0 Warrenpoint Town (Res)

  • Linfield 3-1 Institute (Res)

  • Glenavon 1-1 Glentoran (Fri)

Live Reporting

  1. Over and out

    We're back on Tuesday

    One matchday down, 37 to go.

    That brings an end to our coverage of the opening Saturday of the 2019/20 Irish Premiership season - and, if today's a measure of what's to come, we're in for one heck of a ride.

    Larne announced their return to top-flight football in emphatic fashion as they swatted hapless Warrenpoint Town aside 6-0 at Inver Park, with Mark Randall scoring the pick of the goals, the ex-Arsenal man scoring from close to the halfway line.

    Champions Linfield recovered from going a goal down early to Institute to eventually win 3-1, with Jordan Stewart rivalling Randall in the 'goal of the week' competition with his own long-ranged heatseeker.

    Crusaders made light work of newly-promoted Carrick Rangers as Stephen Baxter's men ran out 3-0 winners at Seaview, while Dungannon Swifts held last season's runners-up Ballymena United to a 2-2 draw at Stangmore Park, with Seanan Clucas' stoppage-time penalty denying the Sky Blues.

    Joe Gormley cancelled out Eoin Bradley's opener as Coleraine and Cliftonville played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Showgrounds.

    There was a poignant, minute-long tribute to Tommy Breslin before all the games this afternoon following the former Cliftonville manager's death on Wednesday, with current Reds boss Paddy McLaughlin saying the club legend would have been proud with how the players dug deep to snatch a late equaliser.

    Remember to join Nicola McCarthy for the first 'NIFL Premiership Highlights' programme, which debuts on BBC iPlayer later this evening, while we'll be back on Tuesday evening for live text coverage of another five league games, all of which kick-off at 19:45 BST:

    • Carrick Rangers v Larne
    • Cliftonville v Glenavon
    • Glentoran v Coleraine
    • Institute v Dungannon Swifts
    • Warrenpoint Town v Crusaders

  2. Warrenpoint 'miles off it' admits O'Donnell

    Larne 6-0 Warrenpoint Town

    We were miles off it today. Some of the goals we gave away are not acceptable. I can't have any complaints about the scoreline. It's probably what we deserved on the general run of play.

    Stephen O'Donnell, Warrenpoint Town manager

  3. Lynch 'proud' as Larne lash Warrenpoint

    Larne 6-0 Warrenpoint Town

    I'm very proud of the players today. There was a lot of hype in the build-up to the game with us being back in the Premiership. I didn't want it to get to the players but they were very professional and carried out the game plan to a fine art. Marty Donnelly was very hungry and got himself in good areas. He has those bits of trickery which you can't coach. Mark Randall's goal was tremendous. He has that in his locker and does things like that in training on a daily basis.

    Tiernan Lynch, Larne manager

  4. 'Tommy would have been proud' - McLaughlin pleased with Reds comeback

    Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville

    I think a draw's a fair result. It was a cagey game and both sides cancelled each other out - they made it really hard for us and we couldn't build up any momentum in our play. We created a few chances earlier in the game and didn't take them so we were thinking maybe it wasn't going to be our day but fair play to Joe [Gormley], he comes up with big moments in big games and that's why he's one of the best strikers in the division. [On Tommy Breslin] It's been an emotional few days, we know how much of a legend Tommy is at the club and right throughout the league. He was one of the nicest men you'd ever meet in football so the news was devastating. The players are dedicating the point to Tommy because I'm sure he would have been proud of that comeback and the desire they showed for the club.

    Paddy McLaughlin, Cliftonville manager

  5. Jeffrey 'not displeased' with draw

    Dungannon Swifts 2-2 Ballymena Utd

    It was a game of two halves in that we were probably the dominant force in the first half. Dungannon were certainly better in the second half. We could have held on - we didn't and so we got a point It's always a very difficult place to come to and so I'm not displeased.

    David Jeffrey, Ballymena United manager

  6. 'We showed a lot of endeavour' - Kearney disappointed with draw

    Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville

    Disappointed after getting the goal to not see the game through. Delighted for Skinner and all the lads because when I came back, I think a lot of people questioned whether or not we could hit the same heights as before but I thought all over the pitch it was a real Coleraine performance, real workmanlike, we showed a lot of endeavour and a lot of graft and we were unfortunate not to come away with three points. [On Tommy Breslin] It still doesn't feel like it's real. He was such a gentleman and you can see the outpouring of good gestures, of people talking about him in the esteem in which he was held. He was an absolute diamond of a man. I had some great tussles with him over the years and if it was him, I can't begrudge him that last-minute equaliser to the memory of him more than anything else.

    Oran Kearney, Coleraine manager

  7. Lindsay hails 'resolute' Swifts

    Dungannon Swifts 2-2 Ballymena Utd

    Our performance was very good. We made mistakes - the first goal came from a mistake on our part - but that happens. We didn't let it affect us and I thought we played some really nice stuff at times. Defensively we were resolute, we limited their chances and we managed to get a draw in the end which is a good, positive result for us against the team that finished second in the league last year. I think we have laid down a bit of a marker. We're very young but if we can get that level of performance week in, week out, I'll be really happy.

    Kris Lindsay, Dungannon Swifts manager

  8. Gormley strikes late to salvage point

    Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville

    Gormley grabs an equaliser for Cliftonville

  9. Ross Clarke adds a late third for the Crues

    Crusaders 3-0 Carrick Rangers

    Ross Clarke curls in a late third goal for Crusaders against Carrick Rangers

  10. Winning start for the holders

    Linfield 3-1 Institute

    Linfield survive an early scare to make a winning start to the defence of their Irish Premiership crown.

    Joe McCready score an early penalty for the visitors but goals from Kirk Millar, Jordan Stewart and Ryan McGivern saw the Blues come back to secure all three points at Windsor Park.

  11. FULL-TIME

    Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville

    It's all over at the Showgrounds and the points are shared after an entertaining - and at times tempestuous - clash.

    Coleraine seemed to be heading for the win after Eoin Bradley's strike but Joe Gormley produced a deadly finish late on to salvage a point for the Reds.

  12. Lavery curls Ballymena ahead

    Dungannon Swifts 2-2 Ballymena Utd

    Ross Lavery with a pin point free-kick for Ballymena United

  13. FULL-TIME

    Larne 6-0 Warrenpoint Town

    Rampant Reds.

    Larne make a big statement on their return to the top flight with David McDaid and Marty Donnelly scoring two each. Mark Randall and skipper Jeff Hughes also on target.

  14. FULL-TIME

    Crusaders 3-0 Carrick Rangers

    Clarke's injury-time goal rounds off a comfortable win for the Crues.

    Granted, Stephen Baxter's side didn't make a particularly impressive beginning against promoted Carrick Rangers with Jarlath O'Rourke having to block a Stewart Nixon chance.

    But the Crues didn't really look back after Jordan Owens glanced in their opener on 22 minutes with the lively Paul Heatley hammering in the crucial second goal just before the break.

  15. FULL-TIME

    Dungannon Swifts 2-2 Ballymena Utd

    Honours even after some late drama at Stangmore Park.

    Ross Lavery's free kick looked to have won it for Ballymena but with the game going into injury time, Seanan Clucas earned a point from the penalty spot.

  16. goal

    GOAL

    Crusaders 3-0 Carrick Rangers

    Ross Clarke hammers in a third Crusaders goal in the first minute of injury-time.

  17. goal

    GOAL

    Dungannon Swifts 2-2 Ballymena Utd

    Seanan Clucas levels for Dungannon from the penalty spot.

    Ross Lavery, Ballymena's goal hero just a couple of minute earlier, is the guilty party this time as he is adjudged to have fouled Rhyss Campbell and skipper Clucas keeps his nerve to send Glendinning the wrong way from 12 yards.

  18. goal

    GOAL

    Coleraine 1-1 Cliftonville

    Joe Gormley equalises for the Cliftonville!

    Harkin's punt forward isn't dealt with by the Coleraine defence. Ryan Curran picks it up, picks out Gormley and the striker makes no mistake as he lashes his right-footed drive into the bottom corner.

    He's missed a couple today but there was no mistake there.

    Gormley takes off his black armband and raises it towards the sky in tribute to Tommy Breslin, who gave the striker his debut at Solitude in 2011.

  19. PENALTY

    Dungannon Swifts 1-2 Ballymena Utd

    Penalty to Dungannon.

  20. HITS THE WOODWORK

    Linfield 3-1 Institute

    Joe McCready gives Linfield a late scare as he strikes the post in the 89th minute.