No protests and no fuss as Linfield and Portadown play Sunday Irish League game

There were no reports of any sizeable protests before, during or after the game at Windsor Park, and fan numbers did not appear to be affected with both clubs bringing the sort of numbers associated with an Irish League fixture.

Champions Linfield ran out 4-0 winners and look in very good shape to defend their title.

The south Belfast club will have at least two more matches on Sundays, against Newry City on August 21 and against Carrick Rangers on August 28.

The reason given by Linfield is that the club has commitments to play in Europe throughout the month, causing scheduling problems.

Though football has taken place on Sundays before in Northern Ireland – not least the Cliftonville-Coleraine League Cup Final on March 13 (won by the former) – it remains exceedingly rare.

Back in 2021 when it was revealed the League Cup final would be on a Sunday, NI Football League boss Gerard Lawlor said: “I’m aware this is the first time a major domestic final will be played on a Sunday in Northern Ireland, but we have to continually evolve and look to what has worked for other major sporting events.”

Asked for its stance on games being scheduled for Sundays, a spokesman for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland told the News Letter: “The last time the general assembly of our church directly considered such issues was in 2008, on that occasion it was in response to the Irish Football Association’s decision to permit football matches on a Sunday.

“On that occasion, the general assembly passed the following resolution:

“That in light of the decision of the IFA to allow competitive football on Sundays, the general assembly express concern about professional sporting events which hinder or diminish attendance of Sunday worship, thus interfering with Christian practice as an established aspect of societal life.

“We recognise that attitudes in society, in relation to sporting and other events on Sundays, have continued to evolve and that they are more common place today.

“Nonetheless, the position of our church remains unchanged.”