Linfield, sitting comfortably at the top of the Irish Premiership, secured a 1-0 victory over Loughgall at Windsor Park, maintaining a solid 20-point lead. Matthew Fitzpatrick scored the only goal of the match, pushing Linfield further ahead of Glentoran, who had narrowed the gap with a win against Coleraine earlier.
Glenavon continued their impressive form under manager Paddy McLaughlin, earning their fifth consecutive league win by overcoming Cliftonville 3-1 at home. Meanwhile, Dungannon Swifts bounced back after a tough stretch, finding their way back to winning form with a 3-1 triumph over Carrick Rangers.
The Crusaders also enjoyed success, defeating Ballymena United 3-1, while Portadown was set to take on Larne in the late game of the day.
In the match between Linfield and Loughgall, the visitors started strong, but it was Linfield who broke through at the 30-minute mark. Fitzpatrick headed in from a corner taken by Kyle McClean, netting his tenth goal of the season. Loughgall almost equalized right before halftime with a shot from Fra McCaffrey, but Linfield’s goalkeeper, David Walsh, made a crucial save. Fitzpatrick later hit the post, but the match ended 1-0, leaving Loughgall still struggling at the bottom of the table.
Glenavon showcased their attacking prowess against Cliftonville. Michael O’Connor opened the scoring with a well-executed strike, and just minutes later, Jack Malone added a second. Glenavon struck again shortly after halftime with a penalty from Davy McDaid, securing a comfortable victory. Cliftonville managed to pull one back in injury time thanks to Stephen McGuiness, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
As for Dungannon’s clash with Carrick, they were quick off the mark, scoring early and then extending their lead with two more first-half goals. A strong start for Carrick in the second half saw them net a goal, but Dungannon held on for the win.
Finally, the match between Crusaders and Ballymena was full of action. The Crusaders took an early lead through a misdirected shot that found its way into the net. They quickly doubled their advantage with a well-placed free-kick. Ballymena fought back with a penalty, but despite their pressure in the second half, Crusaders secured the match with a late goal on the counterattack.
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Source linkMatthew Fitzpatrick,Dungannon Swifts,Carrick Rangers,Loughgall,Paddy McLaughlin,Ballymena United,Glenavon,Jack Malone,Gael Bigirimana,Windsor Park,Linfield,Irish Premiership,Paul Heatley,Jordan Stewart,Kyle McClean,Patrick McEleney
