Glens close gap at top as Crues move off bottom spot

There was a lengthy stoppage in play in east Belfast early in the first half due to James Akintunde's injury. Jamie McGonigle gave Coleraine the lead on 44 minutes before the away side were reduced to 10 men when Rowan McDonald was given his marching orders for a challenge on Pat Hoban. Jordan Stewart nodded home an equaliser for the Glens before Hoban's penalty was denied by Ryan Schofield.

At Shamrock Park, Crusaders moved off the bottom of the Irish Premiership after a goalless draw with Portadown. Elsewhere, Bangor ended their nine-game run without a win thanks to Iestyn Hughes' goal against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park. In Saturday's fourth match, Cliftonville host Ballymena United (20:00 GMT) in the final fixture before the split.

Less than a minute into the game, Coleraine striker Akintunde went down under the challenge of MJ Kamson-Kamara and was unable to continue, being stretchered off to heartfelt applause from both sets of supporters. The remainder of the first half was rather uneventful until the 44th minute, when substitute McGonigle raced on to Will Patching's looping throughball before calmly finding the bottom corner despite being off balance. The Bannsiders were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when McDonald was sent off for a late challenge on Hoban as Glentoran looked to break.

It was all Glentoran in the second half as they tried to make their one-man advantage count. They eventually did in the 75th minute as substitute Stewart converted Ross Clarke's deep cross to draw his side level. Hoban had the chance to put the east Belfast side in front six minutes later, but was unable to convert from the spot as stopper Schofield dived to his right to deny the prolific striker.