Irish League Football

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Carrick Rangers have completed the signing of midfielder Matthew Snoddy from Glenavon for an undisclosed fee.

The 32-year-old was made available for transfer by the Lurgan Blues this summer after spending five years with the club.

Snoddy previously worked under Carrick boss Stephen Baxter at Crusaders and also had a spell at Coleraine.

He becomes Carrick's ninth summer signing and joins ahead of their Irish Premiership opener against the Crues at Seaview.

"I'm delighted to be here and get the deal over the line. When I knew Carrick and Stephen were interested it was a no brainer for me," Snoddy told the club's website.

"Stephen didn't have to sell the club much to be fair, I know there's a project here and it's exciting and it's definitely a club on the up.

"It can be difficult moving to a new club, but knowing I was coming here with a lot of boys I've played with before made the decision a lot easier and I'm looking forward to getting amongst all the lads."

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Portadown have added experienced midfielder Jordan Gibson to their squad ahead of their Irish Premiership opener against Glentoran on Saturday.

The 30-year-old has spent the past two seasons with Loughgall in the top flight after previous spells with Dollingstown, Lurgan Celtic, Carrick Rangers and Ballymena United.

He becomes the Niall Currie's fifth summer addition after Jamie Rea, Alex Moore, Divin Isamala and Rayhaan Tulloch.

"Obviously everyone is well aware of me and Jordan's history, he's been a Premiership player from the moment I signed him for Carrick Rangers and was brilliant for me in my time there and went on to get signed by David Jeffery at Ballymena United, so he's got great experience now at the highest level," Currie told the club's website.

"He's 30 and coming into his prime years and his versatility is always great for any squad.

"We're delighted to have the big man on board and his desire to come to our club was there for all us to see."

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Striker Alex Clarke has departed Linfield Women to sign for Scottish side Aberdeen for an undisclosed fee.

Clarke made 22 appearances for the Blues, scoring nine times for the Women's Premiership side.

She has signed a one-year-deal with the Dons, where she will link up with Northern Ireland international Kerry Beattie.

The 23-year-old previously had a spell with Newry City and also played GAA for Armagh and Crossmaglen.

"It feels really great to be here," Clarke told Aberdeen's website.

"Linfield is a great club, I have developed a lot there, but I feel like it is time to move on and continue my progression as a player.

"It is great to be given this chance. This is an opportunity I couldn't turn down."

Image source, Dylan Kirkpatrick/Coleraine FC

Coleraine have signed Harry Evans on loan from Derby County to ease a potential goalkeeping crisis at the Showgrounds.

The 20-year-old, who spent time training with the club in July, has joined the Bannsiders with current number one Ryan Schofield currently injured.

Summer signing Schofield picked up a long-term injury in a pre-season friendly with Fleetwood Town and Max Little is suspended for the opening game of the season, which means Evans could make his debut against Larne on Sunday.

"We are delighted to have Harry on board," manager Ruaidhri Higgins told Coleraine FC's website.

"Due to Ryan Schofield's unfortunate injury, it has been important that we bring in someone with quality and Harry ticks all the boxes.

"We saw first-hand how excellent he was earlier this summer when he was over training and it's great he already has experience working alongside Michael [Dougherty] and the goalkeeping unit."

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Portadown manager Niall Currie believes that his side will 'still be really competitive' despite 'everyone's levels going up' ahead of this year's Irish Premiership.

The Ports were in the chase for the European spots last season and missed out on seventh place by just two points.

"I was really proud of last season and I think we massively overachieved for what we have," Currie told BBC Sport NI.

"You'll see everyone's levels going up this year, so we're going to have to be better than last year and that's going to be really difficult because I thought we were absolutely brilliant."

"However, I think we'll still be really, really competitive for everybody."

Eight players have left Shamrock Park during off season with Jamie Rea, Alex Moore, Divin Isamala and Rayhaan Tulloch joining the club.

Despite believing that his side will be competitive, Currie has acknowledged the need for new facilities at the County Armagh side.

"We have got to hang on here and stay in the Premiership until we get into a situation where we can move to a hybrid model and get a new pitch to give us a chance," Currie continued.

"I am Portadown man since I was born and the town needs new facilities and fingers crossed we'll get a bit of good news.

"If we can get that in, then it changes a lot for us. It gives us our own facilities and it gives us a much better chance to make sure we're in the Premiership for a long time."

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI contributor

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Linfield manager David Healy believes "huge investments" from other Premiership sides this summer will put the pressure on the champions' title rivals.

The Blues were an impressive 22 points clear at the top of the Premiership last season and lifted the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2022.

They will be looking to defend that title but, after other clubs have strengthened this summer, Healy believes Coleraine "should probably" be considered title favourites.

"There has been huge investments in the league," Healy told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"Obviously Coleraine's budgets have probably gone through the roof, but that was to be expected because the owner at the time made the changes with different people leaving their roles at the football club last year, so it was always on the cards.

"Coleraine should probably be going to the season as favourites. Whether they are, knowing how people operate here, they are probably saying 'it's Linfield's to lose' even though Coleraine heavily spent."

Linfield have already had a busy start to the season and remain in the Uefa Conference League after overcoming Zalgiris, but they have only announced one signing with Sean Brown making the move from Larne.

In contrast, Coleraine's first summer transfer window under new Executive Chairman and owner Henry Ross has been a busy one.

Amongst their seven signings are Linfield duo Stephen Fallon and Joel Cooper, who was voted the Football Writers' Player of the Year and netted 19 goals last campaign.

"The investments have got to be repaid back at some stage, as it was at Larne. Tiernan Lynch done an incredible job at Larne and Kenny Bruce has now moved on as there is a new investor in," Healy continued.

"Glentoran have spent heavily again on wages and certainly, with the amount of money that they have spent over recent years, Ali Pour is going to eventually recoup that in some way.

"So there's pressure on other teams. People ask me about the pressure that we have at Linfield, but there's going to be pressure on Coleraine and there is going to be pressure on Glentoran to go and win it and, with the amount of money they have put into it, they will be disappointed if they don't win the league this year."

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Larne manager Nathan Rooney has said his side are "clicking" despite a "lot going on" during pre-season.

Rooney replaced Tiernan Lynch as manager of the Inver Reds in December, but was replaced by Gary Haveron just three weeks after taking the role due to not having the required licence for European games.

Rooney then took the position of head of football but, after being accepted on to the Uefa Pro Licence course in March, he returned to his original position during the close season and has taken the club into the third qualifying round of the Conference League.

"There is a lot going on," Rooney told BBC Sport NI.

"In terms of the team, we're in a really good fashion. We're clicking and we're working hard together.

"There was a lot of built up energy [last season] and I was working hard behind the scenes and the boots were on. I think in some of the games now, you've seen a little bit more of me on the touchline and through the boys on the pitch."

During this busy period for the two-time league champions, there has been a change in ownership too with Kenny Bruce announcing that he has sold his stake at Inver Park.

His 50% share of the club has been bought by Redball Global FC.

"The new players have come in and the fresh ownership have had the same belief, but things are going to be done slightly differently," Rooney said.

"Obviously we want to be sustainable, we want to do things moving forward and be looking at the youth coming through.

"But if we work hard, train like we're doing and we keep the best players fit, then we'll compete."

There have been big decisions to make on the pitch as well in terms of leadership.

Tomas Cosgrove had previously been club captain and lifted the Gibson Cup in 2023 before being replaced by Cian Bolger the following year.

However, with Bolger set to miss a long spell through injury, Rooney has handed the captaincy back to Cosgrove.

"Sometimes you've got to listen, haven't you? Sometimes it's not just coming in and thinking that you know everything," Rooney said when asked about the captaincy.

"We've had a great captain in Cian Bolger, and I've worked with Cian in the past at Fleetwood Town, but I also knew how well Tomas led a group of men as well.

"With him living now in Larne, and what he does off the pitch community-wise for us and foundation-wise, he was the perfect fit."

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Cliftonville have added midfielder Adebayo Fapetu to their squad ahead of their Irish Premiership opener against Bangor on Sunday.

The 20-year-old started his career at Arsenal before joining Derby County in 2021 where he was a regular in their underage sides.

He has featured for the Reds in pre-season and subject to international clearance will be part of Jim Magilton's side for their trip to Clandeboye Park this weekend.

The Englishman becomes Cliftonville's fifth summer addition after PJ Morrison, Conor Falls, Conor Barr and Rhyss Campbell.

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Assistant manager Colin Coates says Glenavon are ready to "build on the positives" after some mid-season "firefighting" after changes in the dugout last year.

The club have made 10 signings with Jordan McMullan, Oran O'Kane, Kris Lowe, Luke Cartwright, Paddy Burns, Stephen Mallon, Harry Murphy and Kyle McClelland have all joined the club.

Fourteen players have left the club, including 16-year-old forward Chris Atherton's long mooted move to Chelsea.

"It's been a busy sort of summer," said Coates, who became assistant manager under Paddy McLaughlin last year following Stephen McDonnell's exit.

"After we came in last November, the first summer transfer window was always going to be busy with us wanting to bring in our own sort of players and maybe move people on whose time had came to an end at Glenavon, naturally more than anything.

"It's been a good summer and so far, it's been productive in terms of recruitment but also our training and our games that we've had, it's been top drawer."

After former Cliftonville boss McLaughlin arrived last season, he helped lift the club from just four points off bottom of the table into 10th place, 14 points clear of Carrick Rangers in 11th and 24 points better off than relegated Loughgall.

"It was certainly firefighting when we first came in and just making sure that we stayed in the league," Coates added.

"Obviously we've done that and now it's about trying to build on the positives and try and move up the table where we believe Glenavon deserve to be.

"We have our ideas of how we want to play and, by bringing in the players that we've brought in, we'll be hoping that we can improve on last year's 10th place finish."

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Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says qualifying for Europe again must be "the challenge" for his side ahead of the new Irish Premiership campaign.

During an impressive 2024-25 season, the Swifts won the Irish Cup for the first time to qualify for Europe and finished fourth in the league.

However, they became the second team to exit the Uefa Conference League qualifiers after being defeated 3-1 on aggregate by FC Vaduz despite winning the away leg 1-0.

Even though that defeat put to an end to the Swifts' first European run in over a decade, McAree is hoping his side "can have another go" soon.

"If we can show the grit, determination and desire that we have shown in our European games in the league then we will hopefully be all right," McAree told BBC Sport NI.

"It would be nice to experience this again and that has to be the challenge. If we can win the Irish Cup or be fortunate in the league, then we can have another go at it."

Despite all focus now going to the league campaign, and Sunday's season-opener against champions Linfield, McAree said his players did "the league proud" during their European adventure.

"I am disappointed that we are going out, but I am proud of everyone," McAree continued.

"The boys have done themselves and their families proud and I think we have done the league proud as well.

"It is disappointing for our league that we don't have three teams going through but it is great to see Larne and Linfield fly the flag and we have given it a good go."

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Declan Caddell has said he has "put his own stamp" on a much-changed Crusaders side for the new Irish Premiership campaign.

Caddell led the north Belfast side to a sixth-place finish in his first season in charge after taking over from long-serving manager Stephen Baxter.

The Crues have signed a number of young players from Scotland summer window so far but have lost the likes of Philip Lowry, Daniel Larmour and Billy Joe Burns.

"Everything has been going well. Obviously, there is a big turnover of players, we were all aware there was going to be a rebuild at the club," Caddell told BBC Sport NI.

"We are really happy with the players we have brought in. We have a lot of youth about us, lots of energy, enthusiasm, and a lot of quality as well. They're all gelling and settling in well which is a positive for me.

"This is my second year now and it's always difficult coming into a club. Stephen did such a great job but, ultimately, a lot of them were Stephen's players and obviously times change, and I am looking to build something new and put my own stamp on things."

Caddell paid tribute to the long-serving players like Lowry and Burns for their contributions to the club but says he is excited to move forward with a younger squad.

"It's my responsibility to look after the benefit of the club and where it goes moving forward and big decisions had to be made," Caddell continued.

"We're sorry to lose all those players as they were a big fabric of all the success that the club had, but we had to move on. We now have these younger players coming in and they want to make a name for themselves, and that's something for us all to look forward to."

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Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton has urged his side to use the disappointment of their European campaign as "motivation" for the new domestic season.

The Reds became the first Irish Premiership team to bow out of the 2025-26 Uefa Conference League qualifying rounds with a 5-4 aggregate loss to St Joseph's.

Hugo Jesslen netted the winner for the Gibraltarian side during extra time at Solitude last month.

"We were all bitterly disappointed," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"Over the course of two games if you go down to 10 men, you don't expect to win and that's the disappointing bit as I felt we had them in our grasp, the second game especially, and it's a huge disappointment that we couldn't go on and finish the game.

"We were very competitive right to the death, but we couldn't get it over the line and I would like to think we will use that as motivation and fuel for what is coming next."

It could be a huge season for the Reds, whose club members recently voted to accept a takeover proposal from the Toronto Investment Group.

The takeover by the Canadian consortium could see the north Belfast club move to a full-time model and lead to their Solitude home receiving a facelift, with Magilton saying that the takeover is currently "in the hands of solicitors".

"Cliftonville know where we are in the pecking order for getting players. The takeover isn't in place yet, it's in the hand of solicitors," added the former Northern Ireland midfielder.

"If that were to happen and we were given investment, it gives us a better opportunity to get quality players into the club. We are always very careful with who we bring in because financially we can't compete and that's just a fact and we acknowledge that.

"We always look to bring in players that are going to fit into the programme and bring that quality."

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Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter has said that he is "building something new" as he approaches his first full season in charge.

Carrick finished 11th last season but a convincing 8-3 aggregate victory over Annagh United in the relegation/promotion play-off secured their Premiership status for the 2025-26 season.

During his first pre-season with Carrick, Baxter has acknowledged that the club are still searching for another two players before the window closes.

"We had 12 players who left so it was a total rebuild at my end and we have brought in good players and we are still on the search for maybe another two before the season starts," Baxter told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"We're trying to build a brand new system with new coaching staff and players. It might take a bit of time just to blend it all in while people get familiar with each other, but you're hoping that is what the pre-season is all about and they've all been in working hard.

"I've been very, very pleased with their attitude and their focus. They are all coming in fresh and hungry, and I have to hope that they hit the ground running."

Carrick's first game of the season is against Baxter's former side Crusaders at Seaview.

Baxter led Carrick to a 3-0 win over the Crues at Taylors Avenue last season, but Saturday's fixture will be his first visit to the Shore Road as a visiting manager.

"It is definitely an exciting fixture for everybody," added Baxter, who led Crusaders to three league titles and four Irish Cups during his 19-year stint at the helm.

"I'm just reasonably glad that we're getting it out of the way very quickly on my return.

"It is something that I'm actually looking forward to. It is going to be very strange to walk into the away dressing room. I might walk into the wrong dressing room."

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Bangor have completed the signing of former AFC Wimbledon defender Paul Osew ahead of their Irish Premiership opener against Cliftonville on Sunday.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a successful trial with the Seasiders in pre-season, making two appearances and scoring the opener in a victory against St James' Swifts.

Although regarded as a full-back, Osew has featured in midfield and in attack throughout his career which has included 77 appearances for AFC Wimbledon.

The Wandsworth native moved from the Brentford academy before making the switch to Plough Lane where he spent most of his career.

He has also enjoyed spells with Northampton Town, Woking and Welling United before arriving at Bangor this summer where he sufficiently impressed manager Lee Feeney to earn a full-time deal with the newly-promoted club.

Osew becomes the seventh summer arrival at Clandeboye Park following the signings of Gareth Deane, Stephen McGuinness, Mark Haughey, Liam Burns, Ross Ferguson and Harry Lynch.

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Bangor manager Lee Feeney has said his promoted side are not expecting to be "also-rans" in their first season back in the top flight in 15 years.

It was a successful season last year for the County Down side who finished five points clear at the top of the Championship and reached the semi-finals of the Irish Cup.

"We believe we can compete with anybody on any given day," Feeney told BBC Sport NI.

"We know that we're capable of beating anybody. Whether we can do it over 38 games a season, we'll find out.

"The club have suffered a lot and it wasn't long ago they were in the Ballymena League and some of the players that are still here played in there five years ago - so credit to them, now they have the reward of playing in the Premiership.

Feeney believes the club's tough road back to the Premiership can serve as motivation in the top flight.

"These players aren't here to just be also-rans. They are going to come here and try and compete and be the best they can be because they know how hard it's been to get here. They're not going to just throw it away lightly.

After winning the Premier Intermediate title in 2023 to return to the second tier, former Bangor player Feeney helped the side secure promotion back to the top flight for the first time since 2009.

However, he has admitted that pre-season hasn't been an easy one, especially in the transfer market.

"The players have worked really, really hard, but for me, as a manager, it has been frustrating trying to get players in because essentially we're bottom of the food chain when it comes to signing players and the budgets.

"One thing I've noticed is that any players you're in for, everyone's after them. I'm used to hearing no from the player, but we've made some very decent signings, and I'm delighted with the signings we have made."

The Seasiders' first game of the season is against Cliftonville on 10 August with Feeney "delighted" that the game will be in front of the BBC cameras.

"I'm delighted for the club to get this opportunity," he added.

"I am glad we are at home and we will try to make it difficult for Cliftonville."