Irish League Football

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Larne v Cliftonville (Friday, 19:45 GMT, live on BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website)

Gary Haveron got a great result during the week against Crusaders. Jim Magilton's team have had a hard week, but they're two big teams competing for a place in Europe. It'll be close!

Prediction: 1-1

Ballymena v Glentoran (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Glentoran are on a good run. They've really picked up a bit of stability, with Declan Devine signing a new contract at the club. On the other hand, Jim Ervin's team haven't managed a win at home in quite some time. I do think Jim will turn it around, however, Glentoran will just nick this one.

Prediction: 1-2

Linfield v Carrick Rangers (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

This is a big game for Stephen Baxter and his team - they need the points! Linfield look to be running away with the title at the moment, but I think Carrick will sit in and make it hard for them to open the game up. It could be a late winner to decide this one.

Prediction: 1-0

Crusaders v Dungannon Swifts (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Dungannon have been brilliant at home and they have had a really good season so far. It's been an up and down season for Crusaders with a bit of a transition with the new manager coming in the summer. I think it's a great appointment, it'll just take time for them to gel properly and get back to being a top-four side in the league.

Prediction: 2-2

Loughgall v Portadown (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Big Derby game! Loughgall need the points, while Portadown are going really well this season. Dean Smith has brought a few decent players in, and I think they'll pick up with that.

Prediction: 2-2

Glenavon v Coleraine (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

I covered this game the last time these two met, it ended 3-3 and it was unbelievable! I think Dean Shiels has his team in good shape going forward, but defensively they were poor and Glenavon scored three goals going long and direct. Since Paddy McLaughlin has come in Glenavon have really picked up. There will be plenty of goals in this one!

Prediction: 3-3

Stuart King will be on commentary alongside Joel Taggart for Ballymena United v Glentoran at the Showgrounds as part of Sportsound's coverage of the Irish Premiership.

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Coleraine head coach Dean Shiels admits the club had interest in signing Gavin Whyte but he would be "really, really surprised" if a move materialised, as the club announce the signing of Paddy Burns.

Northern Ireland winger Whyte left Portsmouth in August by mutual consent and has been linked with a return to the Irish Premiership or a move to the League of Ireland.

The 28-year-old left Crusaders in 2018 and has scored five goals in 30 international caps.

"There was interest from us, I'm not going to deny that, but there is interest from several clubs," said Shiels.

"I would be really, really surprised if Gavin arrived at Coleraine.

"I don't think we're in the running for that one."

Linfield winger Joel Cooper has been heavily linked to a move to Coleraine, with a pre-contract reportedly agreed for a summer switch to the Showgrounds.

However, a move has been finalised for defender Burns, who was most recently with Cliftonville.

Shiels says he was "delighted" to agree a deal for the 24-year-old until the end of the season.

He declined to comment on any move for Cooper, either in the January window or in the summer, saying it would be "disrespectful" to speak about players from other teams.

"I'd love to talk about players and signings and other things but I just can't," he added.

"I wouldn't like it done if it was my players so I don't want to discuss other players from other teams."

"I don't think it's appropriate. I can say that we are trying to strengthen in this window and we are working hard to add some depth."

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Linfield striker Matthew Fitzpatrick has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Windsor Park until 2027.

The 30-year-old joined Linfield from Glenavon in 2023 and won the BetMcLean Cup last season.

He has scored six league goals as David Healy's side top the Irish Premiership table in the current campaign.

Fitzpatrick said he has "loved it" at Linfield and he is aiming for more success in the future.

"There's obviously different demands at a full-time club and a club like Linfield compared to what I was used to before", the striker told Linfield TV.

"I still am adjusting to it in some aspects but I'm really enjoying my football and I welcome the hard work and the expectation.

"I'm starting to show what I can do over the last year or so and hopefully it leads to more success for the club."

Manager Healy said that Fitzpatrick has been a "quality player" throughout his 18 months at the Irish Premiership leaders.

"He has been hitting good form this season as he has settled into the full time environment and demands of full-time football," added Healy.

"His work ethic and dedication have been second-to-none since he walked into this football club and I'm confident we'll see even more from him in the coming years."

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Larne head coach Gary Haveron says the coming months will continue to test the depth of his squad as they chase silverware on three fronts.

The Invermen still have five games in hand over Premiership leaders Linfield, whom they trail by 19 points, plus they face a BetMcLean Cup semi-final against Cliftonville on 14 January and a County Antrim Shield final with Glentoran seven days later.

Next up for Haveron's charges is a league encounter with Cliftonville at Inver Park on Friday night, which will be broadcast live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

"We've got Cliftonville back-to-back and the Glens back-to-back in our next four games so it doesn't get much easier because they're probably two of the most in-form teams," reflected Haveron.

"If you want to win the hard competitions and get into the later stages you're going to need your squad and everyone playing in the same direction.

"We can't slog the same 11,12, 13 boys. It's really going to have to go into the 16th, 17th, 18th man and it'll test the strength and depth of our squad. That gives younger players a chance and we have faith in everyone we have at our disposal."

Mannus 'very professional'

The appointment of former Northern Ireland goalkeeper Alan Mannus as goalkeeping coach at Larne was confirmed earlier this week.

"Anybody who knows Alan as a person will tell you that he's probably one of the most professional people you're ever going to come across," enthused Haveron.

"Since he has come in he's obviously very thorough – he's an excellent communicator, a good teacher, and had a stellar career himself.

"He has a real presence about him – when he speaks you listen."

Mannus succeeds another ex-NI stopper, Alan Blayney, in the role.

"It'll be a good boost for the goalkeeping department but what I can't undersell is the impact Alan Blayney had over the past five years. He's been incredible for us.

"You only have to see the clean sheet record over recent seasons, the amount of goals that we don't concede, he has been immense for us."

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Ross County forward Ronan Hale is now eligible to play for Northern Ireland.

International clearance for the Belfast-born 26-year-old has come through from Fifa after a number of months of waiting for paperwork to be finalised.

Hale had previously represented the Republic of Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level.

The former Larne and Cliftonville forward, who has scored five times in 20 Scottish Premiership games for Ross County this season, is now available to be selected by Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

Hale, who started his career at Birmingham City, has also had spells will Derry City, Crusaders and St Patrick's Athletic.

He scored two goals in last season's Irish Cup final to help Cliftonville to their first truimph in the competition since 1979.

He then moved to Scottish Premiership side Ross County for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.

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Glentoran first team coach Tim McCann says there will be "no resting on our laurels" despite the club extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches by beating Ballymena United 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the BetMcLean Cup on Tuesday night.

Second-half goals from strikers Jordan Jenkins and David Fisher ensured their passage to a home semi-final against Crusaders.

"It's great for any club to be involved in cup competitions and go as far as you can because it creates momentum as well and creates camaraderie," said McCann.

McCann added that the Glens had to be patient against a defensively solid Ballymena side to advance on Tuesday night.

"Ballymena came here with a gameplan and it worked very well. Some of our boys were getting frustrated. We told them to be patient at half-time - just work their angles, try and get in behind, be a little bit more careful on the ball and show a little bit more creativity.

"Jordan Jenkins does what he does best. Just pure instinctive. James Singleton sets him inside and he just hits it first time.

"I don't think three keepers would have saved that but give credit to Ballymena. They kept fighting on and it took us a while to get the second goal but once we got the second goal late on, it helped us through."

"It's all down to the attitude and the work rate of the players. They bought into what Declan [Devine] wants to do since pre-season and it's all started to come to fruition and hopefully we can continue this and keep going.

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Glentoran striker Jordan Jenkins says team spirit and cameraderie is key to the club's recent good form which has seen them go nine games unbeaten in all competitions.

Jenkins scored the first goal as his side saw off Ballymena United 2-0 to advance to the semi-finals of the BetMcLean Cup, where they will face Crusaders.

The forward spent last season on loan at east Belfast neighbours Dundela but is very much part of Glens manager Declan Devine's plans this term.

"I'm just happy to be chipping in with goals. This year is the first year I have been involved and it's probably the best year. The group is so tight and everyone is so together. We don't get too high and we don't get too low.

"We've all set our own targets as to what we want to achieve and to achieve for the club.

"We want to push on now and bring silverware back to the club, continue our momentum."

Recent signing Shane McEleney started Tuesday's game, with another acquisition, Christie Pattison, being introduced as a substitute off the bench.

Ciaran Coll is also available in January, while more additions to the squad are expected.

"The more people coming in the better the squad is going to get and it's going to push people on for places and make the squad stronger. Hopefully there's more to come in," added Jenkins.

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Larne manager Gary Haveron says his side "dug in" to earn a 3-1 victory over Crusaders in Tuesday night's Premiership game.

Tomas Cosgrove put the champions in front before Jacob Blaney blasted in an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

Levi Ives made it 2-1 before Jimmy Callacher's late own goal sealed victory for the visitors.

"We made hard work of it - we were absolutely fantastic in the first half and we probably should have been two or three up," said Haveron.

"So I'm disappointed we didn't take our chances and be more clinical. But when the chance came [for the opener] we took it really well.

"Again, we switched off from that excellent first half to concede right at the death. But the boys dug in, went again and got their rewards."

It was a positive response from Larne after their shock Irish Cup defeat by Championship side Limavady United on Saturday.

"We know we let ourselves down and the club down with the performance on Saturday - it wasn't a Larne performance in any way.

"We had to come out here, run ourselves to a standstill and show that we're still a top, top side in this league."

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The Irish Cup sixth-round Big Two derby between Glentoran and Linfield at the Oval will be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.

The game takes place at 19:45 GMT on Friday, 31 January.

The Glens will be aiming to take a further step towards a first Irish Cup success since 2020 and a 24th in their history while the Blues secured the last of their record 44 wins in the competition in 2021.

The east Belfast side have won three of the four meetings between the sides this season, with their Boxing Day encounter ending in a draw.

Linfield beat Wellington Rec 4-0 in the fifth round while Glentoran came from behind to see off east Belfast rivals H&W Welders 4-2.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Northern Ireland goalkeeper Alan Mannus has been appointed goalkeeper coach at Irish Premiership champions Larne.

Mannus, who won nine caps for his country, replaces Alan Blayney who served as the club's goalkeeper coach for five years.

The 42-year-old previously worked as goalkeeping coach educator for the Irish FA after retiring from playing in 2023.

He started his career with Linfield and had two stints at League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers either side of seven years with St Johnstone in Scotland.

Mannus won four Irish Premiership titles and four Irish Cups with the Blues, a Scottish Cup with St Johnstone and six league titles with Rovers as well as an FAI Cup.

He was handed his Northern Ireland debut in 2004 against Trinidad and Tobago and was part of Michael O'Neill's squad for the Euro 2016 finals in France.

Larne are ninth in the league table, 22 points behind leaders Linfield with six games in hand.

They travel to Seaview to take on Crusaders on Tuesday night.

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Ballymena United assistant manager Stefan Seaton says that it is "essential to get a reaction" from his side in Tuesday night's BetMcLean Cup tie against Glentoran.

The Sky Blues exited the fifth round of the Irish Cup on Saturday after a shock 2-1 defeat by Championship Ards.

They beat the Glens in a league encounter earlier this season before losing against the east Belfast side in the County Antrim Shield

And Seaton is urging Ballymena's players to respond to the disappointment of their Irish Cup exit by booking their place in the semi-finals of the BetMcLean Cup.

"It's essential to get a reaction and it is good the game comes so quick on Tuesday night and there's something else to play for," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We finished Saturday's game so strongly, so hopefully we carry that into the next game and get a positive result."

Glentoran boss Declan Devine confirmed that new signings Ciaran Coll, Christie Pattison and Shane McEleney will be in contention to make their debuts against the Sky Blues.

The Glens progressed to the sixth round of the Irish Cup with a hard-fought 4-2 win against H&W Welders on Friday night as they extended their unbeaten record in all competitions to eight games.

But Devine knows that the game at the Ballymena Showgrounds will be another difficult assignment for his in-form team.

"It's a really tough game, they're a good side, they have a lot of talented players in their ranks and going there it is a difficult venue," he said.

"We need to do our jobs as best we can."

Portadown assistant manager Clifford Adams says his side are "bitterly disappointed" with Saturday's Irish Cup exit at the hands of Annagh United.

James Teelan scored early on for Portadown against the Championship side, but Annagh came roaring back through Ryan Swan, Jack Evans and Stephen Murray.

Steven McCullough pulled a goal back to set up a tense finish, but Annagh held on to defeat their derby rivals.

Adams admitted the defeat and manner of goals conceded was "out of character" from a Portadown side who have the joint-third best defensive record in the Irish Premiership.

"To concede the goals we did was hugely disappointing," said Adams.

"It gives you a reality check and it gives the boys a reality check.

"It's hugely disappointing. We're all going home fuming, if I'm honest with you.

"The players are gutted and the fans are gutted. But we can't feel sorry for ourselves and we'll batter on to face Loughgall on Saturday."

In their first season back in the top flight, Niall Currie's side are fourth in the table while Loughgall are rooted to the bottom.

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Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter says his side's 4-3 Irish Cup fifth-round win over Championship side Newry City at Taylors Avenue was "helter-skelter cup football at its best".

The Premiership team trailed 2-0 before the 20-minute mark courtesy of goals from Lorcan Forde and Ryan McNickle.

In the space of five manic minutes, the sides then traded four goals. Nedas Maciulaitis fired home his side's opener on 27 minutes before turning provider for Seanan Clucas to level the game two minutes later.

Within 60 seconds, Newry were back in front when debutant Jamie Doran bundled home Forde's cross, but their lead was short-lived, as Danny Gibson made it 3-3 at the other end.

Luke McCullough scored the winning goal four minutes into the second half.

"Both teams went at it, both teams were here to try and play football, try to score goals," Baxter told BBC Sport NI after Saturday's game.

"We've had three 0-0 draws in our past three league games so I said to the team today, 'let's have a go at this', so we attacked the box.

"For me too many defensive errors though. The goals were soft, particularly the second and third goals for them, so that was disappointing from our point of view."

The former Crusaders boss praised the approach of his opponents.

"Newry put it up to us and fair play to them for doing that. They came to have a right good go and I like that. That's the way the game should be played.

"But we didn't panic in the game. We were 2-0 down and 3-2 down but we still won the game 4-3 and to be fair we missed four chances at the end of the game that on any given day we should really score."

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Ballymena United assistant manager Stefan Seaton says individual errors led to the shock 2-1 defeat by Ards in the Irish Cup.

The Championship visitors led 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Lee Newell and Aidan Steele.

Ethan Devine pulled one back for the Premiership side at the Showgrounds but Ards held on to make the sixth round.

"Full credit to Ards, they've taken their chances, they were much better in the moments that mattered in the game, especially in the first half," said Seaton.

"We started the game like we wanted to, took the game to them but it's individual errors that cost you - you don't take chances in your own half on that type of pitch.

"You've got to cut down on individual errors and then when the ball's at the other end you need to show that calmness, coolness - show that bit of quality when you can aim, get it where it needs to be and get back in the game. We didn't do that enough."

Seaton added that it will be a time for reflection after going out of the Irish Cup at the first hurdle.

"Today was not about decisions or the pitch - it was about something different and we need to look at ourselves because again it's individual errors.

"Football games are by and large won in both boxes. We didn't defend our box well enough and we didn't attack their box in quality moments when we should have done."

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Ards manager John Bailie says he doesn't see the 2-1 win over Ballymena United in the Irish Cup as an upset.

Goals from Lee Newell and Aidan Steele gave the Championship side a 2-0 lead at the Showgrounds.

Ethan Devine pulled one back for the Premiership hosts but Ards held firm to earn a place in the sixth round.

"It's a brilliant day for the club - a difficult day, the pitch was difficult to play on," said Bailie.

"Any win in the Irish Cup is a massive day and we're really pleased to be in the sixth round.

"We haven't really saw it as an upset - that's not degrading Ballymena. We came here two months ago in the League Cup and lost 1-0. Truth be told we were unlucky to lose."

Ards, who sit seventh in the Championship, have been drawn away to Belfast Celtic or Moyola Park in the last 16.

"We've quite a few players missing and we've come here with our form in the league patchy but our performances have been very good - that's been frustrating for me as a manager.

"We've tried to drum into our players that against anyone we've quite a bit of quality in our squad.

"Ballymena threw the kitchen sink at us in the second half and I think we deserved our rewards today."

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Annagh United manager Ciaran McGurgan said his side produced a "clinical" display in their "deserved" 3-2 Irish Cup fifth-round win over near neighbours Portadown at the BMG Arena on Saturday.

James Teelan gave the Premiership side an early lead but goals from Ryan Swan and Jack Evans saw their Championship opponents go in a goal to the good at half-time.

Stephen Murray extended Annagh's lead before Steven McCullough pulled one back for the visitors.

"The boys are obviously buzzing after it and overall I thought we deserved it," McGurgan told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought we were clinical, I thought we worked hard in the first half.

"Second half we knew Portadown were probably going to come out and have more possession and come at us but our centre-halves were unbelievable."

The Annagh boss added that the two-goal cushion afforded to them by ex-Ports striker Murray early in the second half gave them some breathing space.

"When our chances came we took them and 3-1 gave us that wee bit of a buffer and we naturally dropped back.

"The third goal was massive. It just gives you that wee extra goal. We knew it was going to be an onslaught and we were disappointed with the next goal we conceded.

"They did have a lot of possession in those last 10 minutes but our defence was absolutely outstanding, as were our midfielders and forwards holding the ball up as well."