Cliftonville Defeats Crusaders 1-0 in Derby

Cliftonville secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Crusaders in the Premiership north Belfast derby, thanks to Joe Gormley's first-half strike, marking his seventh goal of the season. The win, which was Cliftonville's third consecutive league victory, propelled them to second place in the table. Despite dominating much of the first half, Cliftonville faced intense pressure from Crusaders in the second half but managed to hold on for the win. Crusaders had several opportunities to equalize, including a missed header from Jordan Forsythe and a long-range effort from Philip Lowry, but were thwarted by Cliftonville's defense and goalkeeper David Odumosu. Meanwhile, Portadown continued their strong form with a convincing 3-0 win over Ballymena United, marking Ballymena's third consecutive defeat. The victory for Cliftonville not only secured bragging rights but also emphasized their championship aspirations as they look to close the gap on league leaders Linfield.