Comebacks, stunners and ‘Super Cooper’ – the Irish Premiership returns

The Irish Premiership returned at the weekend with all 12 teams in action across Saturday and Sunday.

Bangor, Ballymena United, Carrick Rangers, Coleraine, Glentoran and Linfield all began their campaigns with opening day victories.

The first six games of the season served up the debuts of plenty of new signings, new kits and goals galore with some interesting results.

There was an early contender for game of the season at Seaview and few could have envisaged Carrick Rangers fighting back to win 4-3 when they fell 3-0 behind after 32 minutes against Crusaders.

The Crues, who look to be trying to evolve their playing style under Declan Caddell this year, played some scintillating football in that first half hour.

After unearthing Kieran Offord from Scotland last season, they seem to have hit the jackpot again in that market again with some of their latest additions.

Fraser Bryden and Adam Brooks scored on their debuts, Elliot Dunlop was a constant thorn in Carrick’s side with his pace and directness, and Finley Thorndike, as he did at Glentoran, showed glimpses of his potential.

Stephen Baxter’s decision to sign a number of former Crusaders players looked to have backfired as their lack of pace in defence was exposed, but they showed ruthlessness when chances presented themselves to stay in the game.

Danny Gibson produced two clinical finishes whilst Jack Scott twice held his nerve from the spot to help them to a remarkable comeback win.

The awarding of both those spot kicks was contentious with Crues boss Caddell less than impressed with referee Mark Dillion, who had a tough afternoon in north Belfast.

His decision to award the first spot kick when Aidan Steele was taken down by Dunlop proved to be something of a turning point as Scott converted to spark the fightback.

Caddell’s ire lay firmly with the fact Dillion’s assistant had initially signalled for a throw-in to Crusaders and the referee overruled him to award the penalty.

As well as a game of the season contender on opening day, we also had a goal of the season contender from an unlikely source in Ballymena United’s Donal Rocks.

The industrious midfielder is not renowned for his goal scoring prowess but his double on Saturday helped the Sky Blues to a 2-0 opening day win over Glenavon at Mourneview Park.

Rocks nipped in at the back post to tuck home the opener in the first half and then produced a stunning strike for his second, lobbing goalkeeper Jacob Carney from long range to seal all three points.

Instead of taking the plaudits post-match, Rocks admitted to BBC Sport NI the shot was more hit and hope than Wayne Rooney esque!

Bangor marked their return to the top flight with a first Irish Premiership win since December 2008 and they were well worth their 3-1 victory over Cliftonville at Clandeboye Park too.

Boss Lee Feeney said that he had trialled three different formations in the build-up to the game due to injuries and he landed on a winning one.

The well-drilled Seasiders did their homework as they frustrated Cliftonville and took their chances when they came, exploiting the Reds’ weakness in the air.

Ben Arthurs and former Reds striker Michael Morgan both headed home from good deliveries to hand Bangor a valuable three points.

It was a difficult afternoon for Jim Magilton’s side, who struck the crossbar three times but failed to really create many clear-cut chances.

After Ryan Curran’s equaliser they had a spell when they looked like they might go on and win the game, but they switched off defensively and were duly punished.

New team, same old Joel Cooper.

Last year’s Player of the Season Cooper scored the winner on his debut for new-look Coleraine to get his and their season off to a flier.

The former Linfield man showed his signature composure as he buried a low shot beyond Rohan Ferguson with four minutes left at the Coleraine Showgrounds to edge a tense encounter against Larne.

It was a game that looked to be drifting towards a goalless draw before Cooper sprinkled some magic to earn a crucial win for Ruaidhri Higgins.

Cooper was the difference for Linfield on a number of occasions last year as they romped to the title, with many of his 19 goals helping to decide games.

Coleraine will hope for a similar impact this year as they look to mount a serious title charge.

It’s safe to say that Offord has yet to hit the heights at Linfield as he did in his six-month loan spell at Crusaders.

The 21-year-old striker’s characteristically hard-working attitude has not waned at all, but after arriving at the Blues in January, he struggled in front of goal.

His impact in Linfield’s European campaign to date has been minimal too, but his hat-trick in Sunday’s 3-0 win against Dungannon Swifts may just be the start of the Scotsman re-discovering his clinical streak.

He stroked home a penalty for his first goal, showed composure to stick his second through Declan Dunne’s legs and persistence to complete his hat-trick a minute later, heading home after his initially effort was saved.

David Healy has a 19-goal Cooper hole to fill and with no more additions looking likely, Offord scoring regularly may be just the remedy he needs.

“For me, he is just getting started. He had the bedding in period last season and now he can show what he can do as he did today,” Healy’s assistant Ross Oliver said after the game.