The opening weekend of the highly anticipated 2023/24 Sports Direct Premiership campaign has not disappointed.

Newly promoted Loughgall grabbed the headlines with a three-goal defeat of Newry City on the road while, at Mourneview Park, Jay Donnelly bagged a stoppage time winner as Glentoran squeezed to victory over Glenavon.

The Villagers got off to a great start when, as early as the tenth minute, Caolan Loughran steered a Jamie Rea left-sided corner into the net.

Loughgall’s second came midway through the first half courtesy of a Nathaniel Ferris spot-kick awarded after Rea had been impeded by Darren King, with Loughran hitting number three not long after that.

There was a dramatic finish in Lurgan after Glentoran hit the winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

With the game looking destined to end scoreless the visitors – who had earlier hit the woodwork through Junior Uzokwe – snatched all three points when Donnelly popped up at close range in a dramatic conclusion to the game.

Meanwhile, on Friday night, Coleraine kicked the action off with a Matthew Shevlin double ensuring the Bannsiders came from a goal down to defeat derby rivals Ballymena United on the Ballycastle Road.

United skipper Colin Coates opened the scoring for the Sky Blues after just 12 minutes, but the Bannsiders responded positively and duly levelled midway through the first half courtesy of a strong Shevlin strike after he had been teed up by Conor McKendry.

Coleraine came out after the break looking the more threatening of the two sides and got their reward with Shevlin’s second of the evening just after the hour when McKendry again delivered the decisive ball for last season’s leading scorer to tap home.

The opening round of action concludes on Monday night when champions Larne begin their title defence at home to Dungannon Swifts, kick-off 7:45pm.