Irish League Football

Image source, Inpho

Glentoran v Linfield (Friday, 19:45 GMT, live on BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website from 19:30 GMT)

Declan Devine appears to have given his team a real buzz at present, securing the Country Antrim Shield and that taste of success. Linfield on the other hand, have failed to beat the Glens this year. I think this may be their moment.

Prediction: 1-2 AET

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

It will be a difficult trip to Ferney Park for Carrick Rangers. A good cup run is very possible, given the quality and experience they have backing their side, but I won't expect them to have it easy.

Prediction: 0-1

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

Back-to-back fixtures are always difficult to call, especially following last week's 1-1 draw [in the Irish Premiership], with a last-minute Coleraine equaliser. Dungannon are the Premiership's surprise package of the year, with underrated quality throughout. Both sides tasted regional trophy success as of late and it'll be a difficult one to call. This one could go either way.

Prediction: 2-1

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

A capable Dollingstown team, who will be hoping to secure promotion to the Championship. Loughgall were unfortunate not to get a result against the Glens [in the Irish Premiership] and now have a welcome distraction from their league campaign. It will be interesting to see how they cope with having the favourites tag.

Prediction: 2-1

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

Having knocked out Larne and being well placed in the Championship, this experienced Limavady side have every chance to shock Crusaders, however, I think the Crues, with the home advantage, will be in the hat for the next round.

Prediction: 2-0

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

Cliftonville have won one of their previous league fixtures. A side littered with talent, and they are the cup holders, however Glenavon are on the crest of a wave with four consecutive wins. A tough challenge at Solitude, but I think Glenavon will take the win.

Prediction: 0-1

Bangor v Annagh United (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Two sides that have a real expectation of promotion to the Premiership and are enjoying impressive league campaigns. Annagh have shown confidence in the last three league outings, however, I think Bangor will take it with a late winner.

Prediction: 3-2

Moyola Park v Ards (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Both sides are showing inconsistent form, however, I think the Championship side will progress in the cup.

Prediction: 1-2

Don't forget to join Sean Ward and the rest of the commentary team alongside Michael McNamee on Sportsound this week from 14:00 GMT on Saturday for all the latest from the Irish Cup. Available on BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Sounds and on the BBC Sport website.

Image source, David Cavan

Coleraine have completed the signing of Scottish striker Declan McManus from Welsh side The New Saints [TNS] for an undisclosed fee.

McManus spent four years with TNS, winning three Welsh Premier titles, two Welsh Cups and one Welsh League Cup.

He twice finished as the league's top goalscorer scoring 24 goals in 2021-22 and 29 in 2022-23.

The 30-year-old helped TNS to become the first Welsh side to reach the group or league stage of any European competition this season.

He played all six games of TNS' Uefa Conference League campaign, scoring in a 2-0 victory against Astana.

The Glasgow born forward becomes Coleraine's fourth arrival in January after the signings of Levi Ives, Ronan Doherty and Paddy Burns.

Bannsiders boss Dean Shiels was pleased to link up once again with McManus, who he played with at Dunfermline.

"I know his qualities and what he can offer. He's a good lad off the pitch, has a great attitude and he will fit in well with the group," Shiels told the club's website.

"Secondly, he's a good player and his goalscoring record in the last few years have been unbelievable.

"Declan is a pure goalscorer and they are worth their weight in gold."

Image source, Getty Images

Irish Premiership side Cliftonville have announced the signing of American striker Eric McWoods.

The 29-year old has had spells in his native USA, Estonia, Hungary and played for Finn Harps in the League of Ireland in 2022.

His most recent club was Sandvikens IF, who play in the Swedish second tier.

Elsewhere, Ballymena United have completed the signing of forward Success Edogun from Finn Harps.

"We're really looking forward to him coming in, joining the group and hopefully he can make his time here a 'success'," said Ballymena manager Jim Ervin.

Edogun, 23, said he was "very excited" to arrive at the Showgrounds.

"As a striker I'm always trying to score goals and help the team as much as I can."

Glenavon, who face Cliftonville in the Irish Cup sixth round on Saturday, have signed Aaron Heaney on loan from Derry City until the end of the season.

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Linfield boss David Healy admitted he was "surprised" that Linfield and Crusaders were the only Irish Premiership clubs in action on Tuesday night.

The Blues moved 19 points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table as goals from Joel Cooper and Chris McKee saw them to a 2-1 win over Declan Caddell's side at Windsor Park.

Healy's players were back in action a little over 72 hours after beating Cliftonville by the same score on Saturday evening and will face another quick turnaround before taking on Glentoran at the Oval in the sixth round of the Irish Cup on Friday night.

With the impact of Storm Darragh last year, other weather-related postponements since, and Glentoran's game with Larne on 18 January being abandoned due to floodlight failure in the second half, Healy expected Linfield's rivals to also be in action.

"I'm surprised that we were the only team on tonight, to be honest," he said.

"We requested right at the start, before the Irish Cup draw, [to play Crusaders] next Tuesday.

"But we were forced and told that this game had to be played this week because everybody has to catch up games.

"Then I see some of the other teams who had games cancelled through the storm we had a little while ago, people's generators not working, yet there's no other games in our league tonight."

Despite the fixture congestion, Healy was pleased with his side's performance in victory, even if he felt they could have made the game safe in the second half.

"Pleased with the three points and the outcome," he added.

"We found Crusaders difficult to break down but I think we had enough opportunities in the second-half to go and get a third or fourth.

"We probably let that slip."

First-half goals from Joel Cooper and Chris McKee helped Linfield beat a resilient Crusaders 2-1 at Windsor Park and move 19 points clear at the top of the table.

Read more.

Image source, Presseye

Dungannon Swifts won the Mid-Ulster Cup with a 2-1 victory over Loughgall at Stangmore Park.

Rodney McAree's side led 2-0 at half-time after strikes from Brandon Bermingham and Kealan Dillon before Jordan Gibson pulled one back deep into added time.

Bermingham's goal came as early as the 11th minute but the attacker's joy was short-lived after he hobbled off soon after having picked up a knock in the act of scoring.

The Swifts' lead was maintained only after Danny Wallace cleared Jay Boyd's goal-bound effort off the line and that intervention loomed all the larger when Dillon doubled the advantage in first-half injury time.

In the second half, substitute Tomas Galvin thought he had made it 3-0 only to see his effort flagged for offside.

Gibson's strike reduced the arrears in the final minute of the game but, after defeats in the past two finals, Dungannon held on to win the trophy for a first time since 2016.

Image source, Glentoran FC

Glentoran have bolstered their attack by signing Nathaniel Ferris from Irish Premiership strugglers Loughgall on a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 26-year-old striker moves to the Oval just three days after scoring against the Glens in a 2-1 defeat at Lakeview Park, his sixth of the season in the top flight this campaign.

The Glens moved for Ferris after missing out on Kieran Offord, who joined rivals Linfield on Sunday.

Loughgall sit nine points adrift at the bottom of the standing while Glentoran moved up to second after their comeback win over the Villagers.

Ferris is Loughgall's all-time leading goalscorer, netting 74 goals in 184 appearances, having also previously played for Dungannon Swifts, Annagh United and Portadown.

He played a major part in Loughgall's Championship-winning campaign in 2022-23, then found the net 15 times in the Irish League's top division in 2023-24.

Ferris becomes Glens manager Declan Devine's fifth signing of the January transfer window, joining Shane McEleney, Ciaran Coll, Christie Pattison and Joe Thomson.

"I'm absolutely delighted to join Glentoran. It's a massive club, and when a team of this size comes calling, it's hard to say no," said Ferris.

"Loughgall has been fantastic to me throughout my career and I've thoroughly enjoyed my time there, but I'm an ambitious player and I felt this was the perfect moment to take the next step and join one of the top sides in the Premiership."

Devine commented: "Nathaniel is a player who has impressed us for some time and we've been tracking his progress closely, so we're thrilled to welcome him to the Oval.

"He brings a new dimension to our forward line and perfectly complements the talent we already have in the squad."

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Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann says Joe Thomson is a "top, top quality player" after the debutant scored both both goals as the east Belfast side fought back to beat Loughgall 2-1 on Saturday.

Nathaniel Ferris bagged a first-half opener for the bottom club at Lakeview Park before Thomson's double won it for the Glens.

Thompson, who moved from Larne to the Glens earlier this week, hit a superb equaliser before slotting home a penalty two minutes from time.

"Before his first goal Joe was struggling with an injury, he had a bit of a dead leg but we'd no more subs left because we had put everyone on to try and win the game," said McCann.

"He managed to get through it and then manages to score two goals.

"That's why the club signed him - he's a top top quality player, he's a leader on the pitch and has a never-say-die attitude. That's exactly what this club is all about."

The victory came four days after Glentoran ended a five-year wait for silverware by winning the Co Antrim Shield.

It also extended their unbeaten run to 12 games but McCann admits they were pushed all the way by Loughgall.

"It was heart in the mouth stuff the whole way through the game. It's always difficult to play against a good Loughgall team.

"It's difficult to come back from a goal down, the pitch wasn't conducive to play nice football, it was just a battle and we told the players that

"We're 11 players down and that's not making an excuse. We keep talking about the size of our squad and people stepping up. To a man everyone stepped up today."

Image source, PACEMAKER

Kieran Offord has left Scottish Premiership club St Mirren to join Irish Premiership side Linfield for an undisclosed fee.

The league leaders have reportedly seen off the challenge of big Belfast rivals Glentoran in securing the signature of the 20-year-old Scot.

Offord had just been recalled by his parent club midway through a season-long loan spell with Crusaders.

The striker scored 10 goals in 21 Premiership appearances for the north Belfast club, netting a further four goals in five outings in knockout cup competitions.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kieran to Linfield - he is a player we have been tracking for a number of months, and we believe he has the ability to add more quality to the squad in this crucial period," Blues boss David Healy told the club website.

"His time at Crusaders has shown that he has what it takes to be a top player in this league, he has a good goal scoring record at this level and we're looking forward to working with him to develop further.

"I'd like to thank the club for their persistence in getting this done and also thank you to our Head of Recruitment Willie McKeown for his hard work in getting this signing over the line."

Prior to his Crusaders loan spell Offord made 14 senior appearances for St Mirren and spent time on loan at other Scottish clubs including Stirling Albion, Alloa Athletic and Edinburgh City.

"Once we spoke to Willie McKeown and David Healy, we felt this was the club for Kieran to take the next step in his career," said Offord's agent Phil Korklin.

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Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton says his side conceded "two really poor goals" in the 2-1 defeat by leaders Linfield on Saturday.

Joe Gormley gave the Reds a 76th-minute lead at Windsor Park and it came after Linfield's Chris Shield saw his first-half penalty saved by David Odumosu.

The hosts struck twice in two minutes - through Kyle McClean and Matthew Fitzpatrick - to clinch victory and move 16 points clear at the top.

"It's a disappointing night - after half-time we were set up better and we showed a bit more vigour and had a little bit more aspiration on the ball," said Magilton.

"We scored a really good goal and then we couldn't catch a breath - if you you give the opposition, like Linfield with time and space and quality they have they are going to capitalise on that and we conceded two really poor goals. "

Magilton was particularly critical of his team's first-half performance after a defeat which sees the Reds drop to seventh place.

"It was a very disappointing first-half display - we needed half-time to come pretty quickly to regroup, to have a chat and to emphasis the positives.

"We just didn't play at all, we didn't show enough courage to get on the ball and play. We invited pressure and allowed Linfield to boss the game.

"What's disappointing from our perspective is that with the opportunities we had we gave the ball over needlessly and really poorly."

Image source, PACEMAKER

Linfield manager David Healy says his team deserved their 2-1 comeback victory over Cliftonville at Windsor Park.

Chris Shields saw his penalty saved by Reds keeper David Odumosu before Joe Gormley put the the visitors in front on 76 minutes.

The leaders fought back and hit two goals in two minutes to win it with substitute Kyle McClean levelling before Matthew Fitzpatrick fired home the winner.

"I thought we were very good - we found ourselves behind to a typical Joe Gormley goal," said Healy.

"So we reponded. The first goal was well-worked with Kyle McClean getting a fantastic equaliser and then the ground became energised and the players re-energised.

"The winner was a wonderful goal. Kyle came on and played a huge part in the goal and Fitzy [Fitzpatrick] popped up with the winner. We were fully deserving of the three points."

Linfield are sitting pretty at the Premiership summit with the victory extending their lead to 16 points.

Healy made clear that it's all about clocking up the points at this stage of the season.

"A lot of people outside Linfield question our performances yet the results have been good.

"Sometimes I question performances but the most important thing, certainly at this stage, is the three points."