Team Newspublished at 19:38 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:38 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
There is just the one change to the Dungannon Swifts starting XI who were narrowly defeated by Linfield and it's enforced one with Patrick Solis Grogan replacing the suspended Declan Dunne between the posts.
Gary Haveron also makes just the one alteration to their last starting line-up, who won their final Europa Conference League game against Gent at Windsor Park on Thursday night. Cian Bolger returns from suspension with Levi Ives not in tonight's squad.
Dungannon Swifts: Solis Grogan, S Scott, McGinty, Mitchell, Wallace, Glenny, Bigirimana, Knowles, Alves, Dillon, McGovern.
Last time outpublished at 19:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:37 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
Dungannon Swifts produced an impressive display as they beat Irish Premiership champions Larne 3-0 at Inver Park earlier in the season.
James Knowles opened the scoring with a low finish before John McGovern added a second with a fine curling effort.
An Adam Glenny header secured the three points for the Swifts as Larne struggled after making their Uefa Conference League debut in a 3-0 defeat against Molde just three days before.
Watch: 'He's set the league alight' - keeper Gyollai scores for Glenspublished at 19:34 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:34 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
In case you missed it on Saturday, Glentoran goalkeeper Daniel Gyollai received an early Christmas gift as he scored the equaliser as Glentoran came from behind to beat Cliftonville 2-1 at Solitude.
Media caption,
Watch: 'He's set the league alight' - keeper Gyollai scores for Glens
"It's a tough game - Larne have had a lot of matches and they're playing catch-up in the league while Linfield maybe opening the gap on them puts a little more pressure on them," said McAree.
"There's a lot going on at Larne at this moment in time but we just have to make sure we set ourselves up in a way that we can maybe go and win the game and try to get something out of it and try to be competitive.
"We're looking forward to it. It's our last game this side of Christman before we play Loughgall [on Boxing Day] so it's giving ourselves the opportunity to challenge ourselves to get points.".
'Hopefully we can get a run together' - Cosgrovepublished at 19:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:27 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
Champions Larne now trail leaders Linfield by a massive 25 points although the Inver Reds have seven games in hand over the Blues, starting with tonight's trip to Stangmore Park to take on Dungannon Swifts.
Larne will go into the match buoyed by Thursday night's historic 1-0 win over Gent as they secured their first points in the Uefa Conference League.
With their European adventure completed, Larne can now turn their full attention to challenging for a third straight Premiership title.
"Hopefully we can get a run together and catch up with our games in hand," said captain Tomas Cosgrove, who scored the winner against the Belgian outfit.
"Until it's mathematically impossible, we'll give it [winning the league] a go. Hopefully this will be the catalyst to push us on and we go again on Monday."
'Special European night' was 'no smash and grab' - Haveronpublished at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:19 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
Larne head coach Gary Haveron says his side deserved their groundbreaking 1-0 win over Gent in the Uefa Conference League and stressed the hard-fought victory over their Belgian opponents at Windsor Park was "no smash and grab".
Tomas Cosgrove's second-half goal saw the Irish Premiership champions clinch their first win and first points in their inaugural venture into the league stages of the competition.
The east Antrim club had lost their previous five matches on the European stage but this success represented another significant landmark for an Irish League side.
"What a performance and what an effort from our boys. We were determined to bow out of this competition with our heads held high and I think we have done that and then some. I couldn't be prouder of them," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.
"This is no smash and grab, we created chances throughout the game and missed big chances in the game and I thought not taking them might come back to cost us, but no better man than Tomas Cosgrove to arrive at the back post.
"That after he signed a contract extension, I'm so delighted for him and it's a great way to bow out of this competition and we need to use it as a springboard for the rest of the season."
Festive football as Swifts host Larnepublished at 19:13 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2024
19:13 GMT 23 December 2024
Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 GMT)
Good evening and welcome to our live text commentary of this evening's last Irish Premiership fixture before Christmas as Dungannon Swifts host Larne at Stangmore Park.
The Swifts can go second with another win against the champions, whilst Larne come into the game on a high following a winning end to their Uefa Conference League campaign against Gent.
With their sole focus now on league action, Gary Haveron's men have a lot of catching up to do, with seven games in hand over current leaders Linfield, they need to start picking up points.
You can follow all the action from Stangmore here and we will have a report, reaction and highlights to follow.
Larne edged Dungannon Swifts 1-0 in Gary Haveron's first league game in charge at Stangmore Park.
Mark Randall scored the only goal of the game in the 51st minute when his low effort beat Patrick Solis Grogan.
Chances were at a premium, but both sides were denied by the woodwork in quick succession in the second half.
The result means that the Inver Reds are now 22 points behind league leaders Linfield with six games in hand.
A quiet first half
The home side had a good chance to grab an early goal in the first minute of the game with Leo Alves' looping free-kick dipping narrowly over the crossbar with Andrew Mitchell also sending an effort just wide minutes later.
Andy Ryan then tried his luck from outside the box, but his effort was wide of the left-hand post.
Both sides continued to struggle to test the two goalkeepers with Mitchell the next to fire wide after clever build-up play.
As the opening 45 minutes drew to a close, John McGovern headed Steven Scott's cross from the right the wrong side of the post.
Larne make bright start to second half
Image source, Inpho
Image caption,
It was announced on Monday that goal scorer Mark Randall has signed a one year contract extension at Larne
Haveron's side broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Dungannon failed to clear Ryan's delivery from the left wing with Randall able to control the loose ball and slot home from close range.
Shortly after, a James Knowles free-kick pinged off the outside of the post and Ryan then saw his low effort denied by the left-hand post as both teams upped the tempo.
However, that was short-lived as the game returned to a slower pace like in the first half, with McGovern's strike easily thwarted by Rohan Ferguson.
Dungannon continued to push for an equaliser, but the Larne defence were able to clear any danger created.
Adam Glenny had a huge chance with the last kick of the game when his strike from 25-yards flashed across the face of goal, to the frustration of the home fans.
Image source, BBC Sport
