Failed Statelet Premier League & Other Divisions 2020/21

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Glentoran Ladies showing the men how it's done.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55243647

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

7 hours ago, Jacksgranda said:

Big game tonight - Larne v Linfield, looking forward to this one.

We'll see what Larne are made of now, after having had most of the play they've conceded a goal from Linfield's first serious attack.

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

3-1 to Larne, a deserved win.

Second goal set up by McDaid who scored the third from the spot after being fouled, but I felt he was lucky to still be on the park after an early foul on a Linfield player. Wasn't even booked. Thems the breaks! Well done Larne.

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Larne v Linfield report. Irish Premiership: Larne defeat Blues in top-two showdown - BBC Sport

Crues smash Portadown, 5-0. Irish Premiership: Crues thump Ports to narrow gap on Blues - BBC Sport

Ballymena come from a goal down to win 5-1 at Stangmore Park. Irish Premiership: Ballymena mount stunning second-half comeback to beat Dungannon 5-1 - BBC Sport

And the two "big" strugglers win - Coleraine with an injury time winner after 10 man Warrenpoint had equalised in the last minute Irish Premiership: Coleraine score injury-time winner against Warrenpoint - BBC Sport - and Glentoran thrash Carrick, 6-0 Irish Premiership: Robbie McDaid hits hat-trick as Glens score six - BBC Sport,

Glenavon play Cliftonville tomorrow.

Larne top after Friday night's drama, 26 from 10, 4 clear of the Blues, 22 from 10, then Crusaders hot on Linfield's tail, 21 from 10. A 5 point gap to fourth placed Ballymena, 16 from 10, with Cliftonville 4 back with 12 from 9, and Warrenpoint completing the top six with 11 from 9.

Bottom half: Coleraine seventh with 10 from 9, after ending their 5 game winless run, eighth are Glentoran 9 from 8, ninth Glenavon, also 9 from 8 (what a disappointing season those three are having), tenth are Portadown 8 from 9 (they might be happy to finish in that position in their first season back), 11th are Dungannon also 8 but from 10, and still bottom are Carrick with only 4 from 8.

3 teams in it at the top, but it's all a bit congested from 5th to 11th, only 4 points in it.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Jacksgranda
Sleppnig

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

1-1 at Mourneview

Irish Premiership: Glenavon and Cliftonville share spoils after 1-1 draw - BBC Sport

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

0-0 at The Oval between the Glens and Warrenpoint Town

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55296795

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Here we go, Saturday's round up.

Larne's match (at Portadown) was off, so Linfield closed the gap at the top by beating the Swifts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55379452

Glentoran and Ballymena draw at the Warden Street Showgrounds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55379352

Glenavon won at Milltown, despite finishing the game with only ten men, Warrenpoint have gone off the boil. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55379932

And Coleraine win at Solitude. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55379933

Crusaders in "lockdown" - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55376289

No games now to 2nd January.

No real change in the table, except Larne's lead at the top is cut to 1 point, albeit they now have a game in hand, most of the other positions are more or less as they were.

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55386261

Summary of the season so far. Pretty fair analysis, imo.

[Clockwork 183]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55386261
Summary of the season so far. Pretty fair analysis, imo.

It’s a shame the momentum of this interesting season so far has been disrupted by the current restrictions in place. Will look forward to things getting started again. Things already looking desperate for Carrick though!

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

8 hours ago, Clockwork said:

It’s a shame the momentum of this interesting season so far has been disrupted by the current restrictions in place. Will look forward to things getting started again. Things already looking desperate for Carrick though!

Aye, an interruption to the season can have unexpected consequences, it will be interesting to see how the top two in particular cope with this - maybe the chasing pack can close the gap if the Larne & Linfield stutter.

Carrick look in serious diffs, all right.

[Co.Down Hibee 706]

A wee shock yesterday with Larne losing to Ballymena,  Davie Jeffrey cheered once again by the  bluemen  .

 

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Linfield come from behind to win at Glenavon. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55515047

Larne slump at home to a late Ballymena winner. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55517891

Crues thump Town. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55517890

Coleraine see off Carrick https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55515046

Last gasp penalty gives Cliftonville the points at Stangmore  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55517710

Glens overcome Ports https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/55475027

Linfield go top with 28 points from 12, Larne second, 26 from 11. Third Crusaders with 24 from 11, so not out of it yet, and fourth are Ballymena, lurking on 20 from 12. If the top three collapse they are handily placed. Fifth Coleraine 16 from 11 and sixth on goal difference are Cliftonville 16 from 12.

Bottom half: Seventh Glentoran, 14 from 11, eighth Glenavon 13 from 11, ninth Warrenpoint Town 12 from 12, Portadown tenth 8 from 10 ahead of Dungannon Swifts on goal difference, 8 from 12 with Carrick bottom 4 from 9.

 

[Ivo den Bieman 2,786]

So, what's the crack with Larne, is it a Gretna-type story or is the club's wealthy owner in it for the long haul? I read he's investing heavily in Inver Park, youth teams and the club appears to have several full-timers now (?).

Must be great to see for the hundred or so diehards who used to turn out to see them finish lower mid table in the second tier. The look like pushing Linfield all the way this season.

Also, will there be any relegation this campaign? Hard to see how that's possible when the second tier hasn't started. Good news for Carrick if so.

Other takeaways from what I've seen this season; Cliftonville look to be building nicely under Paddy McLaughlin who I really rated as a manage from his time at Institute. Glentoran look a little more competitve than they have for a while- they have just seemed to be going through the motions a bit this decade.

I was looking down the pyramid a bit further- shocking to see a famous old name like Bangor so far down (financial issues, I guess). Distillery look to have become marooned in the third tier.

[GNU_Linux 2,389]

10 minutes ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

So, what's the crack with Larne, is it a Gretna-type story or is the club's wealthy owner in it for the long haul? I read he's investing heavily in Inver Park, youth teams and the club appears to have several full-timers now (?).

Must be great to see for the hundred or so diehards who used to turn out to see them finish lower mid table in the second tier. The look like pushing Linfield all the way this season.

Also, will there be any relegation this campaign? Hard to see how that's possible when the second tier hasn't started. Good news for Carrick if so.

Other takeaways from what I've seen this season; Cliftonville look to be building nicely under Paddy McLaughlin who I really rated as a manage from his time at Institute. Glentoran look a little more competitve than they have for a while- they have just seemed to be going through the motions a bit this decade.

I was looking down the pyramid a bit further- shocking to see a famous old name like Bangor so far down (financial issues, I guess). Distillery look to have become marooned in the third tier.

Back in Febuary 2016 Bangor were issued a winding up from the contractors who installed their 3G pitch but the club managed to get it overturned. However this resulted in the club missing out the NIFL Championship licensing deadline so got demoted for the 16-17 season to the 3rd tier Intermediate league.

Lurgan Celtic are another noteable name way down the food chain. Withdrew from adult level football in 2019 to reform it's youth structures. Now find themselves in the bottom tier of the Mid-Ulster setup (8th tier overall).

Edited January 6 by GNU_Linux

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Only 3 games yesterday. Linfield thrash Warrenpoint Town 6-0 after a sticky first half. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55782904

Crusaders and Larne in another 6 goal extravaganza, 3-3 in this instance. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55766800

And Coleraine beat the Swifts at the Showgrounds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55782774

Linfield now 4 clear at the top, but Larne have a game in hand. Crusaders third a point behind Larne, but played a game more, with Coleraine fifth, on 19 points, a point behind Ballymena, who are six behind the Crues.

Swifts are in a spot of bother, eleventh with 8 points from 13, the same points as Portadown, but the Ports have 3 games in hand. Carrick are still bottom with only 4 points but have played only 9 games.

[Clockwork 183]

Only 3 games yesterday. Linfield thrash Warrenpoint Town 6-0 after a sticky first half. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55782904
Crusaders and Larne in another 6 goal extravaganza, 3-3 in this instance. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55766800
And Coleraine beat the Swifts at the Showgrounds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55782774
Linfield now 4 clear at the top, but Larne have a game in hand. Crusaders third a point behind Larne, but played a game more, with Coleraine fifth, on 19 points, a point behind Ballymena, who are six behind the Crues.
Swifts are in a spot of bother, eleventh with 8 points from 13, the same points as Portadown, but the Ports have 3 games in hand. Carrick are still bottom with only 4 points but have played only 9 games.

Just watched the re-run of the Crus Vs Larne game yesterday at Seaview. Thoroughly enjoyable game with a couple of cracking goals to savour. Fair play to Johnny McMurray for chasing down Larne’s third, rewarded for sheer determination. Without knowing the result, thought it must be the winner, but still time for young Ben Kennedy to calmly slot away an equalising penalty. Thought it was a really good advert for the Irish Premiership overall. Entertaining stuff!
Think the next live Sky game is Linfield’s visit to Carrickfergus?

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

I keep posting "so and sos in trouble" but as pointed out by @Ivo den Bieman there probably won't be any relegation this season. Trebles all round!

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55783424

Lucky let off for Linfield - if this hadn't been picked up, they would have been liable for a points deduction.

[Jacksgranda 12,272]

Cliftonville beat Linfield 4-3 at Solitude - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55820099

But Coleraine win 2-1 at Inver Park - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55797772

Portadown 2 Crusaders 2 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55814858

Glentoran 2 Carrick 0 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55819649

And the other games postponed - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55810637

[Ivo den Bieman 2,786]

1 hour ago, Jacksgranda said:

Cliftonville beat Linfield 4-3 at Solitude - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55820099

But Coleraine win 2-1 at Inver Park - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55797772

Portadown 2 Crusaders 2 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55814858

Glentoran 2 Carrick 0 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55819649

And the other games postponed - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55810637

Highlights of the Cliftonville game will be worth watching when they go up. Sounds as though it was a great game...