The opening fixtures of the 2024/25 season of the Sports Direct Premiership and Playr-Fit Championship kick off this weekend.
The NIFL returns this weekend as Glentoran welcome Declan Caddell’s Crusaders on Friday evening at 7.45pm. They last met in the European play-offs in April when the Glens served a 4-0 thrashing to Stephen Baxter’s Crues side.
The tightly contested opening contest will excite many fans as there will be little to pick between the two sides who have enjoyed glowing form in their summer friendlies, both sides won all of their last five friendly contests, with Crusaders’ most recent defeat being an agonisingly close Europa Conference League play-off defeat against Caernarfon Town in a penalty shoot-out on July 17.
On Saturday, Ballymena will host last season’s runners-up Linfield at the Showgrounds in a difficult test following their Premiership survival in April, when they secured a 2-1 aggregate victory over the Derry-based Institute side in the play-offs.
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They will have a difficult challenge of withstanding a relentless Linfield side which achieved the best travelling form in the division last season, attaining 42 points in away fixtures. The Blues’ will also be a tough team to get past, boasting an impressive record of 15 clean sheets last season.
The remaining NIFL Saturday fixtures include Carrick hosting Glenavon and Coleraine travelling to face an in-form Dungannon Swifts who closed out last season with 16 points in their last six games.
The weekend will be closed off with Portadown returning to the Premiership to face Cliftonville away from home in a daunting test against the third best attacking team in the division, with star player Ben Wilson netting 18 of the Red’s 80 goals last season.
Loughgall and Larne’s Sunday clash has been postponed due to the latter’s European obligations as the reigning NIFL champions face Ballkani on Thursday in the third round of the Europa Conference League.
Loughgall will host Carrick at Lakeview Park on Matchday 2, whereas Tiernan Lynch’s men will travel to Seaview to open their Premiership campaign against Crusaders.
Who to look out for:
Larne striker Andy Ryan enjoyed incredible form last season becoming the division’s top scorer with 25 goals, including four braces and a quadruple scoring game. He will be supported by Craigavon man, Lee Bonis who also achieved a commendable 17 goals for the division’s most effective offensive team that season which averaged 2.24 goals per game.
Linfield will pose serious opposition to Larne’s hopes of retaining the title this season as they pose a dominant attacking threat and an imposing away record which even bested the league winners last season. They will look for Joel Cooper pick up where he left off last season, achieving an impressive nine goals and seven assists during his 2023/24 campaign with the Blues.
Newly promoted Portadown welcome Scottish defender Jack Duncan this season to bolster their chances of having a positive return season to the premiership. The towering centre-back, who came through the youth academy at Hibernian and enjoyed short stays at various Scottish clubs before making the switch to the NIFL, will be hoping to put on a stalwart performance against Irish Cup winners Cliftonville this weekend.
Where and When to watch:
Friday 9 August 2024 - Sports Direct Premiership (kick-off 7:45pm)
Glentoran v Crusaders - available LIVE on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website
Fri 9 August 2024 - Playr-Fit Championship (kick-off 7:45pm)
Bangor v HW Welders
Saturday 10 August 2024 - Sports Direct Premiership (kick-off 3pm)
Ballymena United v Linfield - available on the OneFootball platform
Carrick Rangers v Glenavon - available on the OneFootball platform
Dungannon Swifts v Coleraine - available on the OneFootball platform
Saturday 10 August 2024 - Playr-Fit Championship (kick-off 3pm)
Armagh City v Institute
Ballinamallard United v Ballyclare Comrades
Dundela v Newry City
Limavady United v Ards
Newington v Annagh United
Sunday 11 August 2024 - Sport Direct Premiership (kick-off 3pm)
Cliftonville v Portadown - available on LIVE BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website
