Irish League Football

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Irish Premiership side Linfield have announced the signing of 20-year-old winger Sam Taylor on a season-long loan from Tranmere Rovers.

Taylor, who came through the ranks at Tranmere's academy can play on either flank and is regarded as one of the most promising young attacking talents at the EFL League Two club.

He made his senior debut for Rovers in 2023 and has since gained further first-team experience in English football.

Taylor has racked up 47 appearances since signing his first professional contract in 2022, scoring five goals.

Linfield manager David Healy commented: "It's important that we continue to freshen the squad up, especially in attacking areas going forward.

"Sam is a very promising young talent who will be able to give the squad space and energy in the wide areas of the pitch.

"I look forward to working with Sam this season and seeing what he can bring to the squad."

Tranmere boss Andy Crosby explained that it was "really important that Sam goes and gets regular game time at this stage of his career".

"I couldn't promise him that, so we all thought that him going on a season-long loan was the best course of action.

"He joins a fantastic club, who are competing in both domestic and European football. We will have regular contact with the player and loan club and look forward to seeing how Sam develops."

The addition of Taylor comes just one day after the Windsor Park club announced the arrival of Ryan Yates on a one-year loan deal from Scottish League One side Stenhousemuir.

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Linfield boss David Healy said he was "disappointed" with his side's second half display in their 2-0 win against Vikingur in the Uefa Conference League third qualifying round tie second leg.

A stunning strike from Kieran Offord and an own goal from Ali Olsen in the first half had the Blues ahead 3-2 on aggregate at Windsor Park.

They managed to see out the narrow victory in a nervy second half which frustrated Healy as he thought they could have played better and extended their advantage.

"I'm disappointed a little bit with the performance in the second half, we gave the ball away so many times and put ourselves in danger so many times," he told BBC Sport NI.

"On the other side, really pleased with the manner of the way we started the game and the manner of the goals.

"It looked like second half we eased off the game. We thought we were always able to score more than one goal and we did, but second half, it was probably a bit of fatigue and tiredness."

Healy praised Offord's fine opening goal, but still believes the striker has a lot to improve on.

"We always knew the potential and capabilities he had coming in, he has scored a few individual goals like that," the Blues boss added.

"I would urge him to tidy up his play. As a young centre forward, his decision making needs to improve as does his consistency. Add that to the electricity he already brings and he can be an all round better striker."

Healy's side will now face a European rematch with Shelbourne in the play-off round of the competition.

If they win that tie, the Blues will reach the league phase of the competition for the first time.

Watch highlights as Linfield beat Vikingur 2-0 at Windsor Park to progress in the Uefa Conference League with a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Kieran Offord scored a stunning goal and an own goal from Ali Olsen helped the Blues into the play-off round, where they will face Shelbourne.

Read more: Linfield to face Shelbourne again after Vikingur win

Linfield have added Scottish striker Ryan Yates to their squad on a one-year deal.

The 23-year-old, who spent time in the academies of Rangers and Hibernian, arrives from Scottish League One side Stenhousemuir.

He also previously had a spell at Stranraer and becomes Linfield's second summer signing after Sean Brown.

"Matt is a talented forward with proven experience in senior football at such a young age," Blues boss David Healy told the club's website.

"He's a natural goalscorer with the intelligence to link play and has shown the hunger to improve further. We believe he'll be a strong addition to our attacking options this season."

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Cliftonville have secured a season-long loan for Sunderland defender Tom Lavery.

The 19-year-old featured in pre-season friendlies for the Black Cats against Sporting Lisbon and Sevilla when part of the club's training camp in Portugal, while also featuring in a home game against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

A product of the Sunderland academy, Lavery was a regular for the Under-21s last season, while also featuring in seven matchday squads in the English Championship.

Lavery is the sixth arrival at Solitude this summer and Sunderland Academy Robin Nicholls feels the loan move will benefit all parties.

"This loan presents a great opportunity for Tommy to continue developing in senior football," he said.

"He has spent most of this pre-season with our first team, so he has been exposed to a high level of competition and training for several weeks now.

"We are grateful that Cliftonville will present an opportunity for him to continue his learning and development."

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Cliftonville will host Crusaders in the first round of the County Antrim Shield.

Tuesday's draw pitted the north Belfast rivals together in just one of two all-Premiership ties, with Carrick Rangers drawn at home to Bangor in the other top flight clash.

Last season's winners Glentoran will begin their defence of the Shield at home to Ards with Larne, who won the previous four editions, beginning at home to Championship new boys Queen's University.

Linfield have home advantage against H&W Welders, while Ballymena United will travel to Premier Intermediate club Ballyclare Comrades.

Elsewhere, Newington host Knockbreda and Ballymacash Rangers welcome Dundela.

The fixtures are due to be played on Tuesday, 2 September.

Full draw

Larne v Queen's University

Newington v Knockbreda

Carrick Rangers v Bangor

Ballyclare Comrades v Ballymena United

Glentoran v Ards

Cliftonville v Crusaders

Ballymacash Rangers v Dundela

Linfield v H&W Welders

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The second leg of Linfield's Uefa Conference League third qualifying round tie against Vikingur will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Coverage will begin at 19:40 BST with kick-off at Windsor Park set for 19:45 BST on Thursday.

BBC Sport's Thomas Kane will be joined on commentary by former Linfield manager David Jeffrey.

Irish Premiership champions Linfield, who began their defence of the Gibson Cup with a win against Dungannon Swifts at the weekend, trail 2-1 to the side from the Faroe Islands after last week's first leg in Torshavn.

The winners of the tie will go on to face the losers of the tie between Croatians Rijeka and Shelbourne, with the Irish side ahead after the first leg.

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Holders Glentoran roared into the semi-finals of the County Antrim Cup as they thrashed Cliftonville 6-0 at Solitude.

The Glens raced into a 5-0 lead at half-time and added another in the second half to complete the dominant win against the Women's Premiership champions.

Kim Turner's side went ahead early in north Belfast through a stunning long-range effort from Emma McMaster.

Kelly Crompton volleyed home a second from close range before Aimee Kerr tucked home a third.

Mia Moore scored a fourth after a corner dropped to her in the box with Crompton netting her second and Glentoran's fifth before the break.

Aoibhe O'Neill diverted Demi Vance's cross into her own net for the away side's sixth and final goal.

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Linfield striker Kieran Offord said he was "buzzing" to contribute after his hat-trick helped the Blues beat Dungannon Swifts 3-0.

Offord's three goals came in the second half as Linfield began their title defence with a comfortable win at Windsor Park.

And the striker, who joined the Blues in January, hopes his treble can kickstart his career at the south Belfast club.

"It's the perfect day, three points and three goals," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Second half we kept doing the right thing and eventually it came. the difference was we had three chances, and we took them.

"I have a few personal targets and when you start to tick them off in one game it gives you confidence. I want more days like today where my goals help the team get three points."

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Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton said his side conceded "embarrassing" goals in their 3-1 loss against newly promoted Bangor.

The Reds fell behind to Kyle Owens' goal but levelled in the second half through Ryan Curran.

Although they struck the crossbar three times, Magilton's side were undone by some poor defending as two headers from Ben Arthurs and Michael Morgan helped the Seasiders to victory.

"I thought the second and third goals were embarrassing, we didn't defend them well enough," he told BBC Sport NI.

"The second free-kick is a basic one, we should defend areas and we didn't. A lack of leadership there cost us.

"We limped to the end there and that is disappointing, there are no excuses."

Cliftonville have a difficult set of fixtures coming up as they look to bounce back with games against Coleraine, Larne and Linfield to come during the rest of August.

"These are tough lessons and I'm hoping we learn very quickly because we have a tough month ahead," Magilton concluded.

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Bangor boss Lee Feeney said he was "not surprised" his side beat Cliftonville 3-1 as they "have it in them" to produce impressive performances like they showed on Sunday.

Goals from Kyle Owens, Ben Arthurs and Michael Morgan helped the Seasiders to victory in their first top flight game since 2009.

Feeney praised his side's response after Ryan Curran equalised for Cliftonville in the second half, but knows they will need to deliver similar performances week in week out to stave off relegation.

"It was a pleasing performance and result. We have 37 more league games to put in performances like that, but I'm really proud as a big ask for them to come here and beat Cliftonville," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We'd only two players different from last season's Championship so it's very pleasing, I put trust in the boys that got us here, but we have to do it all season.

"We reacted brilliantly to the Cliftonville goal going in and we were a better version of ourselves after that goal."

Owens, who scored Bangor's first goal from close range, believes the victory will give his side confidence that they can compete at this level.

"We showed today we can go up against anyone," he said.

"People expect you to get relegated straight away and it is a fight and a battle every week, but the boys have to be up for that.

"I'm one of the older guys, I've played here before but a lot of our young lads haven't played in the Premiership but they didn't look out of place."

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Coleraine forward Joel Cooper said his side will not be distracted by talk from outside the club labelling them as title favourites this year.

Cooper, who arrived in the summer from Linfield, scored the winner on his Bannsiders debut to help them edge out Larne 1-0 at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

And the 29-year-old said that his side are focused on improving on last season's fifth place finish first before entertaining any talk of them challenging for the Gibson Cup

"A lot of it is outside stuff, people want to talk, and other teams want to put us into it [title contention] to take pressure off themselves," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We're only at the start of where we want to get to so we're focusing on bonding as a group and improving on last year. We finished 30 points behind Linfield last year, so our aim is to get closer."

Cooper, who scored 19 goals to help Linfield to the league title last season was delighted to net a late winner for Coleraine after missing a chance minutes before.

"It's a nice one to win the game. I had a chance before that I should have scored, and I thought that was my moment gone but the pass from Declan [McManus] was quality and I just had to step onto it and hit it, and I was glad it hit the net," he added.

"To win like that will give us confidence going forward and I think we deserved that win."