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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

NI Football League hails record attendance figures at opening games

A record attendance helped kick-off the new Danske Bank Premiership season over the weekend.

Almost 11,000 fans went through the turnstiles across all six opening games as the new 2022/23 campaign got under way.

The 10,951 collective attendance at the six matches spread over three days was the highest ever for an opening round of fixtures in the Irish League since figures have been officially recorded in 2008, an average of 1,825 fans per game.

Read more: NI teenager in red hot form after another goals salvo for West Ham

It marked a 22% increase on the previous record for the first weekend of matches, set in August 2018.

The opening weekend included a Friday night game, four Saturday afternoon fixtures and then Sunday's clash between champions Linfield and Portadown.

That match at Windsor Park proved a success with 2,806 fans attending the south Belfast stadium to watch the Blues vs Ports.

Attendance records were broken both collectively and individually, as three of the other Premiership games also marked a record attendance for the specific fixture at that venue.

Larne vs Glentoran, Coleraine vs Cliftonville and Crusaders vs Dungannon Swifts all set new benchmarks.

The NI Football League said: "Thanks to all the fans across the leagues who came out in force to support their clubs this weekend and we look forward to you all joining us for more great games throughout the season!"

Opening Weekend Attendances

  • Larne 0-0 Glentoran (Att: 2,695)
  • Ballymena United 2-2 Glenavon (Att: 1,206)
  • Carrick Rangers 2-1 Newry City (Att: 348)
  • Coleraine 3-1 Cliftonville (Att: 2,657)
  • Crusaders 5-1 Dungannon Swifts (Att: 1,239)
  • Linfield 4-0 Portadown (Att: 2,806)

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