Irish League Football

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Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says his side can still take "a lot of positives" from the three defeats they have suffered to start their Irish Premiership campaign.

The Stangmore Park club, who finished fourth in the league last season and won the Irish Cup, have lost 3-0 to Linfield, 4-1 to Portadown and 2-0 to Coleraine at the start of the 2025-26 term.

"Things haven't been good for us over the first three games but there have been a lot of positives, positives in each game," said McAree.

"The Portadown match is maybe one we would want to forget about but there is no travesty in going to Coleraine and losing 2-0 with the team that they have at the moment.

"They're certainly going to be there around the top come the end of the season."

McAree believes poor defending was to blame for both the goals Swifts conceded in their meeting with the Bannsiders.

"What disappoints me most about losing 2-0 was that Coleraine are a very good side but none of their goals were goals that actually cut us wide open.

"You feel the two goals we have conceded are very poor. We're conceding soft goals so we have to eliminate that."

It took four matches for Dungannon to pick up their first win of the season last year and McAree hopes a similar scenario will unfold when his side host Carrick Rangers on Saturday.

"We're only one point worse off than we were after three games last season but we have to respond and we have to get ourselves going as quick as we possibly can.

"We've got another tough game coming up with Carrick at home. If we can get the performance we did in the second half against Coleraine we'll not be too far away."

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Coleraine assistant manager Kevin Deery says the Bannsiders want to "keep the momentum going" when they come up against Glenavon at Mourneview Park on Saturday.

The Ballycastle Road club have picked up seven points from their first three fixtures without conceding a goal while, in contrast, the Lurgan Blues are without a point after three defeats to commence their campaign.

"We're prepared for a tough game in Glenavon and one in which we want to keep this momentum going and win the game," Deery told BBC Sport NI.

"We're a brand new group, doing it how we want to do it and we want to put on a positive performance and pick up three points."

The former Institute boss is pleased that the team has managed to keep clean sheets in each of their three opening Premiership encounters.

"We haven't conceded a goal this season. We're delighted with the way we're digging in. We're pressing from the front and showing real guts to get the points on the board.

"It's been really positive from that sense."

Deery says new arrivals at the club before the transfer window closes are unlikely given the quality Coleraine have already been able to attract.

"We have a really competitive squad, a brilliant squad, so it would need to be proper quality to improve us.

"If that comes along we would of course have a look at it and try to do something that improves us."

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Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann said that they hope to have striker Patrick Hoban back available soon.

Hoban, who signed for the Glens from Derry City in July, is yet to make his competitive debut after picking up an injury before the opening game against Portadown.

McCann is hopeful he will be one of a number of injured players Glentoran can welcome back in the next few weeks after they lost David Fisher to injury against the Ports with Ryan Cooney and Liam Burt also now doubts after going off against Glenavon midweek.

"Pat is making good progress, hopefully we get him back in training this week," McCann said after Tuesday's 2-0 home win.

"Ryan Cooney has a broken nose and a black eye and we have to assess the other boys."

The east Belfast side have won their opening three games without conceding a goal to top the Irish Premiership table and McCann has been delighted with their ability to shut teams out so far.

"If we can keep clean sheets, I always believe we will always have the quality to create chances and score goals," he added.

"Massive credit has to go to our defenders and our goalkeeper for that."

The Glens now make the trip to north Belfast to take on Crusaders, who picked up their first win of the season in a thrilling game against Bangor on Tuesday.

"Crusaders will have their tails up, going to Bangor is tough but they have obviously done well there.

"We'll see what kind of squad we have, we'll go there and give it a go, do our best and hope to come out on the right side of the result."

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Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin says all the members of his playing squad will have a significant role to play if the club is to have any success this season.

The Sky Blues boss has boosted his panel over the summer months and the Braidmen have begun their campaign with successive 2-0 away league wins over Glenavon and Portadown.

Competition for places are keen within the United squad, with the visit of Bangor to the Showgrounds on Saturday next up for Ervin's charges.

"We've now got a really competitive squad and we've got players disappointed that they're not starting and players who are disappointed they're not in the squad but it's a team game and it will take a squad effort for us to do anything this year," said Ervin.

"Everybody's going to play their part.

"It's going to be another extremely difficult game [against Bangor]. Lee Feeney has done a tremendous job there and we're looking forward to getting back home again."

Ervin was pleased with the character shown by his side in their two opening victories on their travels.

"We work extremely hard on the training pitch, no matter who we are playing, and the boys have stood up and been counted. It's two games away from home and it's six points and two clean sheets.

"For as long as we can stay in games and keep defending well we've got matchwinners in the team.

"We just look at the next game each time and make sure we give each team the respect that they deserve.

"Our boys have stood up and dealt with everything that has been thrown at them."

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Gary Haveron predicts "a really difficult game" for his Larne team when they host Portadown on Friday evening (19:45 BST).

The Invermen claimed a draw at Cliftonville on Tuesday as Haveron returned as interim boss following the shock departure of Nathan Rooney on Monday.

As assistant manager under Rooney, the former Glentoran and Carrick Rangers manager temporarily took the reins last season for when Tiernan Lynch left the club and this time he has indicated he would be open to making the switch permanent.

However, he acknowledged that will be based on results and following their midweek draw to secure their opening point of the season, is seeking to build upon that result but anticipates a tricky assignment against the Ports.

"They (Portadown) are building on the success they had last year when they had a fantastic campaign," he told BBC Sport NI after the Cliftonville game.

"Niall (Currie) is well known for picking up gems and really good players. We'll have to dust ourselves down and from tonight as that was an end to end game with a lot of energy expended. We'll have to be prepared and we will."

Mark Randall picked up a dead leg at Solitude and will likely miss Friday's game.

Haveron lamented the number of absentees through injury or suspension with the list including Leroy Millar, Andy Ryan, Cian Bolger, Jordan McEneff, Aaron Donnelly and Conor McKendry, but reports there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

"We have eight or nine players who are potential starters for our team," he said.

"When those boys come back, and they should be back in the next few weeks, I think we will take some stopping."

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Portadown manager Niall Currie insists "common sense has to prevail at some stage" in terms of fixture planning as his team prepares for their third game in the space of a week.

The Ports travel to Inver Park on Friday (19:45 BST) seeking to bounce back from Tuesday's 2-0 home defeat by Ballymena United, following their first win of the season away to Dungannon Swifts on Saturday.

Larne also played in midweek, being forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Cliftonville, but their planned game last weekend against Crusaders was postponed due to their involvement in Europe.

Currie feels his team have been put at a disadvantage this week with Larne's full-time status another factor counting against his players for a Friday game.

"I'm all for Friday night games but common sense has to prevail at some stage," he told BBC Sport NI after Tuesday's defeat.

"To ask part time footballers to play three games in six days, I'm baffled by it.

"Larne has been very clever. Their guys will be sitting watching analysis videos all day and my guys will come off the scaffolding roof and then head to Larne on Friday night.

"For me, certain circumstances need looked at and for us to be playing on a Friday night after another two-day turnaround is crazy stuff.

"Hopefully they will look at that in future, but all we can do is rest them up and see who is available on Friday. We know we're in for a tough night but you never know."

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The BBC will show the second leg of the Uefa Conference League play-off between Linfield and Shelbourne on Thursday, 28 August (19:45 BST).

The return game at Windsor Park in Belfast will be available to watch on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app.

Thursday's first leg will also be shown on the iPlayer, website and app, with coverage beginning at 19:40 BST (19:45 kick-off).

A place in the lucrative league phase of the competition is the prize on offer.

The teams have already met in European competition this term, having been paired together in the first round of Champions League qualifying in July.

Shelbourne ran out 2-1 aggregate victors on that occasion, winning the first leg 1-0 at Tolka Park, followed by a 1-1 draw at Windsor Park.

Since dropping into the Uefa Conference League, Linfield have seen off Lithuania's Zalgiris and Vikingur of the Faroe Islands in the second and third qualifying rounds of that competition.

Were they to overcome their Irish Premier Division opponents, David Healy's side would emulate the achievement of Larne, who became the first Irish Premiership side to progress to the group or league stages of a major European competition last season.

After defeating Linfield, Shelbourne lost to Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the Champions League second qualifying round and then fell to Croatian outfit Rijeka in the Europa League third qualifying round.

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Bangor manager Lee Feeney felt Matthew Ferguson's red card in the 3-1 defeat to Crusaders was "harsh" but had no issues with Stephen McGuinness' earlier dismissal.

McGuinness was shown red for an off the ball tangle before Ferguson followed three minutes later for a heavy challenge.

Despite finishing with nine players, Feeney was happy with how his players stuck to the task and went close to an equaliser before Crusaders striker Fraser Bryden put the issue beyond doubt in added time.

"I felt one was harsh and shouldn't have been a red card but the other was a red card," Feeney told BBC Sport NI.

"The second should never have been a red card - that is disappointing because the poor fella misses a lot of games.

"It was that type of game: ding dong, tense and heated. In saying that, we worked our socks off and even down to nine men we thought we had that equaliser. The boys gave everything, so I'm pleased with that and it gives us something to work on going into Saturday."

The Seasiders had been strong defensively in their opening two games, but Feeney felt those standards slipped on Tuesday.

Despite being the league's new boys, there is no shortage of ambition and the Bangor boss said his players were "hurt" by their second defeat of the season.

"We just didn't defend like I know we can and if we did, we would have had a chance," Feeney added.

"We are only in the Premiership and get three points the first game. We're disappointed to lose 1-0 at Glentoran and really hurt today to lose to Crusaders, so that tells you where our mindset is at.

"I felt we did enough to get something out of the game. I don't think we were good enough in both boxes, conceded two silly goals and then weren't ruthless enough at the other end which cost you the game."

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Crusaders striker Fraser Bryden said he would "go to sleep" with the match ball as his first career hat-trick propelled Crusaders to a 3-1 win at Bangor.

The 21-year-old Scot arrived at Seaview from Ayr United in July and took just two minutes to open his account for the club in last week's defeat to Carrick Rangers.

However, it was a much happier night for the north Belfast side on Tuesday as they came from a goal behind at Clandeboye Park with Bryden to the fore, but it also took two penalty saves from goalkeeper Musa Dibaga to see them home against the Seasiders who finished with nine men.

"It was an eventful game to say the least," Bryden told BBC Sport NI afterwards.

"I'm delighted to come away with the three points, which is the most important thing. It's a tough place to come and even better to get my first professional hat-trick, so a happy night. I'm going to tuck it (ball) in and go to sleep with it tonight.

"That was my second competitive game for the Crues and I'm enjoying so far. Hopefully every game isn't that eventful and we can tighten up defensively and not concede sloppy goals."

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Larne interim manager Gary Haveron has told BBC Sport NI that "shock" was his primary emotion on hearing the news that the club's previous boss Nathan Rooney had parted company with the Irish Premiership club on Monday.

Haveron had been put in temporary control of first-team matters for the second half of last season after it emerged that Rooney did not possess the necessary qualifications to lead the team into European competition.

The Englishman was reinstated as manager in May after enrolling for his Uefa Pro Licence, with Haveron reverting to the position of assistant manager, but the Larne native will now take the helm for a second spell at his hometown club before a permanent appointment is made.

"Shock was my initial reaction whenever I got the call to say what had happened. I think that was the initial reaction of everyone at the club," said Haveron.

"Stability is really important now and hopefully that's what I can bring to the club for the time being, just get round the boys and support them.

"We've got a fantastic set of players at the club and the infrastructure is absolutely first class. It has been a turbulent 12 months but we're looking to move into calmer waters and hopefully I can help in that respect in the coming weeks."

Speaking after Larne's 1-1 draw with Cliftonville at Solitude, his first game back in interim charge, Haveron expanded that Rooney and Larne's owners were not on the same page.

"It's just unfortunate that both sides didn't see eye to eye and parted ways by mutual consent. Nathan will go on and have a very successful career – he's an outstanding coach and a great character.

"The club will now align with the owners' vision, and we respect that. We go forward in the direction they want."

Haveron added that he was happy to step into the breach again following Rooney's exit and did not rule out wanting to take the job on a permanent basis.

"When the call came in and I was asked 'was I prepared to step in', the answer will always be 'yes'. I do what I can to support the club in any way, shape or form.

"It's obviously a big job in terms of the Irish League and a really attractive proposition for someone out there if that's what the club want to do.

"While I'm here it's my job to prepare the team, to get them organised and hopefully get the results on the football pitch."

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BBC Sport NI is to livestream Linfield's Uefa Conference League Play-off first leg game against Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Thursday, 21 August.

Coverage of the match between last season's League of Ireland winners and Irish Premiership champions on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website will begin at 19:40 BST.

The second leg of the tie will be staged at Windsor Park the following week, with a place in the lucrative league phase of the competition the prize on offer for the winners.

The teams have already met in European competition this term, having been paired together in the first round of Champions League qualifying in July.

Shelbourne ran out 2-1 aggregate victors on that occasion, winning the first leg 1-0 at Tolka Park, followed by a 1-1 draw at Windsor Park.

Since dropping into the Uefa Conference League, Linfield have seen off Zalgiris of Lithuania and Vikingur of the Faroe Islands in the second and third qualifying rounds of that competition.

Were they to overcome their Irish Premier Division opponents, David Healy's side would emulate the achievement of Larne, who became the first Irish League side to progress to the group or league stages of a major European competition last season.

After defeating Linfield, Shelbourne lost to Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the Champions League second qualifying round and then fell to Croatian outfit Rijeka in the Europa League third qualifying round.

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Glenavon manager Paddy McLaughlin will not be pushing the panic button despite a stuttering start to the new season.

The Lurgan Blues travel to the Oval on Tuesday (19:45 BST) to face a Glentoran team on maximum points.

On Saturday, Danny Gibson's goal just before the break was enough for Carrick Rangers to inflict a second loss of the campaign on Glenavon.

Despite that result leaving his side still in search of their opening points, McLaughlin feels a result in east Belfast can kick-start their season.

"There's only two games gone and anybody looking at the league table now would be very foolish," he told BBC Sport NI after Saturday's 1-0 loss at Carrick

"Nobody wants to be bottom, but there is a long way to go and a lot of points to be won and lost in a 38-game season.

"The Glens are off to a flier, as you'd expect. They've a good side and it's always a difficult task going to the Oval.

"It's a good game to look forward to and a good game to bounce back, so a good way to get our season up and running if we get a result."