Irish League Football

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Glentoran boss Declan Devine says his side switched off for Cliftonville's goal as they went down to a 1-0 extra-time defeat in the BetMcLean Cup final.

Joe Gormey fired home from Ryan Corrigan's cross to put the Reds in front on 99 minutes before Jonathan Russell shot over the bar with a late chance to equalise.

"I'm really disappointed with the manner that we lost it, we switched off," said Devine.

"We just had made a substitution because of an injury and within a minute or two we're caught napping at the back post. But that's what Joe Gormley does and has done for all of his career - that really was the difference.

"The game was calling out for someone to put the ball in the back of the net. We had a great opportunity at the end but weren't able to take it.

Glentoran secured their first silverware in five years by winning the County Antrim Shield in January.

Devine praised his team's effort despite falling short in Sunday's decider at Windsor Park.

"I'm extremely proud of my players - each and every one absolutely emptied the tank but it's not something we want to be experiencing too often [losing a cup final].

"The first goal was always going to be really important. We were just missing that one bit of quality in the opposition box."

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Inpho

Cliftonville striker Joe Gormley said he was "ready when called upon" as he netted the winner for Cliftonville in the BetMcLean Cup final.

Gormley struck in the 99th minute to help the Reds to a 1-0 extra-time victory against Glentoran at Windsor Park.

The substitute met Ryan Corrigan's cross to prod the ball beyond Daniel Gyollai for his seventh goal in five BetMcLean Cup finals.

"It's amazing - my family are in the stand so to score the winner, it means a lot," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I was ready when I was called upon and with scoring the goal I think it paid off why Jim put me on."

Gormley was pleased to have contributed to the cup victory after being an unused substitute in the Irish Cup final victory last May.

"I thought the team were outstanding and it was only a matter of time before we scored, we just needed a little bit of luck," he continued.

"Thankfully Ryan Corrigan plays a ball like that into the box, and I was just glad to get on the end of it."

The 35-year-old admitted that the BetMcLean Cup is a special competition to him as he picked up his fifth winner's medal.

"It's my fifth League Cup and I've scored seven goals in five finals so it's a good record to have and a cup that has been kind to me over the years."

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A series of consistent performances by Jarlath O'Rourke have been recognised by the Crusaders defender receiving the Northern Ireland Football Writers' player of the month prize for February.

O'Rourke helped his side keep three clean sheets as they won all four of their matches during the month.

The former Dungannon Swifts player also chipped in with a goal in stoppage time as the Crues beat Ballymena United 3-1 at Seaview in a Premiership game on 15 February.

O'Rourke's award made it a double for the Seaview outfit after Declan Caddell was named manager of the month for February.

"We had the perfect month with the cup win over Limavady United followed by the league wins over Larne, Ballymena United and Glenavon," said O'Rourke.

"It was nice to chip in with a goal against Ballymena as I don't score too many," he added.

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Linfield manager David Healy says it is "another game ticked off" after a 2-0 victory at Crusaders saw the Blues edge closer to winning the Premiership title.

Teenager Matthew Orr headed the visitors in front at Seaview on 72 minutes and Matthew Fitzpatrick drilled home to double the advantage with six minutes remaining.

It stretched Linfield's lead at the top to 19 points with seven games remaining for the Windsor Park team.

"It's another game ticked off - it's a big win," said Healy.

"Performance wise, I thought we were good, certainly in the second half and we were deserved winners.

"We created some good opportunities and good moments in the game."

Crues defender Jimmy Callacher headed against the bar in a tight first half before Linfield gained the upper hand in the second half.

Orr's looping header broke the deadlock before Fitzpatrick fired in at the nearpost to seal another three points.

Healy's side got back to winning ways after losing 2-0 last time out to Coleraine a fortnight ago.

"We knew when you come to Seaview you have to sure you're in the game and physically match them up.

"The team selection raised a few eyebrows but we got the job done."

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Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton acknowledges the result is the only thing that matters in Sunday's BetMcLean Cup final against Glentoran, with the means of achieving the desired outcome much less significant.

The 52-times capped Northern Ireland international aims to guide his side to a second trophy success of his tenure after the Reds beat Linfield to lift the Irish Cup at Windsor Park 10 months ago.

"Sometimes it's not about how you win it, it's just about winning it," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"Declan [Devine, Glentoran manager] will be desperate to bring more silverware to the Oval and I'm desperate to bring more silverware to Solitude and to our fans who have been magnificent this season.

"The final comes and goes so quickly in the blink of an eye and it's about focus, a real focus of attention on our opponents, who are going to provide really tough opposition, and of course on ourselves, how we are going to win."

Magilton believes the club's long-serving striker Joe Gormley will have a key role to play in the decider.

"He's had an incredible season for us - his goals have kept us within touching distance, his goals have always helped this football club. He's a wonderful player.

"We've played him probably a little too much at times, which has resulted in him having to be rested.

"But it's Joe Gormley, it's a cup final, and I'm sure he'll be ready.

The Reds boss has great respect for Glentoran manager Devine, having previously worked with the former Derry City boss while working for the Irish Football Association.

"I've had the absolute pleasure of working beside him at the IFA and he's done an incredible job at Glentoran," said Magilton.

"He's brought his own character and personality and determination to that team and they've had a great season thus far."

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Glentoran manager Declan Devine says he wants to secure more of the silverware that the club craves when his side faces Cliftonville in the BetMcLean Cup final at Windsor Park on Sunday.

The Glens ended a five-year wait for a trophy success when they defeated Larne in the County Antrim Shield final in January.

"It would mean everything, you set out at the beginning of the season, you want to win silverware. We're fortunate to have the CAS in our cabinet but here you're going into an incredible day out," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"We know we haven't had the success in recent years that a club of Glentoran's size demands. We've only made the final – we have to make sure that we walk out with the trophy.

"Two huge clubs, two big supports coming together for a huge occasion in the National Stadium. It'll be a fantastic occasion but you want to be coming out with a positive result at the end of it."

The Glens boss believes the decider will see both sides exhibit an attacking philosophy.

"I expect them [Cliftonville] to bring a lot of quality and a really high level of goal threat. I think it will be an entertaining game – I don't think either team sets up defensively, both teams will have a right go.

"The club has been starved of success for a long time. The last time they won a cup final at Windsor Park here was during Covid and there were very limited supporters here.

"The County Antrim Shield final was at Seaview, and with the greatest of respect to Seaview, you can only get so many fans in there. We want the supporters to get behind us as they have done all season and it would be a fantastic achievement for us to send them home happy."

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Crusaders manager Declan Caddell has been named as the Northern Ireland Football Writers' manager of the month for February after his side won each of the four matches they played during the second month of the year.

The Crues beat Limavady United in the last 16 of the Irish Cup, before defeating Larne, Ballymena United and Glenavon in Irish Premiership games.

Crusaders currently sit fourth in the league table ahead of their home match against Linfield on Friday night, a game which will be broadcast live on BBCiPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Caddell, in his first season in charge of the north Belfast club, also won the monthly managerial prize in October 2024.

"It's an honour to win this prize, once again," said Caddell.

"It's been a strange season in some ways, because we've had great runs of form and then periods where we have struggled for a result.

"Thankfully, we've performed well in the league in recent weeks. Hopefully, we can kick on from here and finish as high up the table as possible."

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Manager Dean Smith's departure from Loughgall has been called a case of "unfair dismissal".

A statement posted by the club on X said they had "parted company with manager Dean Smith by mutual consent" on Thursday evening.

However, this was then contested.

A statement from JWB Consultancy said: "We represent Mr Dean Smith. Our client has not agreed to terminate his contract.

"The statement issued [on Thursday] by Loughgall FC is factually and legally incorrect and amounts to unfair dismissal. There will be no further comment as this is now a live legal matter."

The Villagers are bottom of the league and 12 points adrift of 11th-placed Carrick Rangers.

Smith has been serving a 15-game ban for breaches of the Irish Football Association's disciplinary code following Loughgall's 2-1 defeat to Glentoran in January.

He was given a 10-match ban for breaching article 23.1 which involves "offending the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion, sectarianism".

A further five-game suspension was imposed under article 14.1 which deals with players or officials "reported for unsporting conduct towards a match official".

Smith led Loughgall to promotion to the top flight in the 2022-23 campaign and they finished ninth in the Premiership with 13 wins last season.

They have, however, struggled throughout this campaign.

The side have not won a league game since November and were knocked out of the Irish Cup by Championship side Ards last weekend.

When contacted by BBC Sport NI on Friday morning, a Loughgall FC spokesperson said that the club did not wish to make any further comment at this time.

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After Glentoran's 1-0 win over Ballymena United at the Oval on Tuesday night, BBC Sport NI got the views of both managers.

Glentoran boss Declan Devine on his side's victory:

"Tough game, obviously.

"We had a couple of opportunities to score and make the ending a bit easier on us.

"We're better than that, we can have more control than that.

"The ultimate goal was to get three points."

On the response to last week's Irish Cup exit to Bangor:

"We needed a response tonight. The players were hurting, we were all hurting, we were all sore after Friday.

"The anxiety crept in because we were hanging on.

"It was so important to get three points by any means. In periods we were good and in periods we were anxious."

Ballymena manager Jim Ervin on his side's performance:

"Extremely disappointed. It's another game I feel we haven't got what we deserved.

"Ultimately when you're on top in these games you need to score in order to get something from the game.

"First half we were super, actually, caused them a lot of problems with the boys up front.

"Second half, we didn't come out. Last 20/25 minutes we looked dangerous again, but the keeper has made a worldie, a great save.

"Performance-wise, other than 15 minutes at the start of the second half, I think the players were superb, gave me everything. On another night, we maybe score one or two goals, even three."

On refereeing decisions:

"The boys are gutted, they've come in at half-time and they feel the ball is over the line [from Stephen O'Donnell's header]and they should have had a penalty.

"I haven't seen any footage, so I'll wait and see any footage before I comment but they're adamant that the ball was over the line and that the foul [by Frankie Hvid] was in the box."