Irish League Football

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter said that Crusaders "were the better team" after the Crues' 2-1 victory at Taylors Avenue.

Fraser Bryden fired Declan Caddell's side ahead in the first half before Ross Clarke's goal doubled their advantage in the second half.

Paul Heatley's late goal for the home side set up a tense finish. However, Carrick couldn't find an equaliser at the end.

"We didn't deserve anything out of the game and Crusaders were the better team by some distance," Baxter told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought Crusaders were first to the ball in the first half, opened up good spaces and were sharper to the ball in the first half.

"The disappointment for me is getting an experienced player sent off in the second half."

Trailing 1-0 at the break, Stephen Baxter has made a double substitution ahead of the second half and brought on Kyle Cherry and Adam Lecky.

However, just nine minutes after the restart, half-time substitute Cherry was sent off for two bookable offences.

"When you bring a player on to bring some stability into midfield, as that is where we lost the battle in the first half, and to get him sent off so early is very disappointing," Baxter continued.

"We were actually better with the 10 men in the second half and we played really well."

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Holders Cliftonville have been drawn away to Glentoran in the quarter-finals of the BetMcLean Cup.

It is a repeat of the 2025 final which the Reds won 1-0 courtesy of an extra-time goal from Joe Gormley.

The other all-Premiership encounter sees Ballymena United host Larne at the Showgrounds.

Premier Intermediate Newry City, who knocked out Glenavon, have a home game against Linfield.

Coleraine will travel to third tier Moyola Park, who beat Dungannon Swifts in the last round.

Those ties will be played on Tuesday, 2 December and Wednesday, 3 December.

For the first semi-final, the winner of Newry v Linfield will be at home against either Ballymena or Larne.

For the second last four tie the winner of Glentoran v Cliftonville will face Moyola or Coleraine.

Those ties will take place on Tuesday, 27 January and Wednesday, 28 January.

Quarter-final draw - ties to be played Tuesday, 2 and Wednesday, 3 December

Ballymena United v Larne

Newry City v Linfield

Moyola Park v Coleraine

Glentoran v Cliftonville

Semi-final draw - ties to be played Tuesday, 27 and Wednesday, 28 January

Newry City/Linfield v Ballymena United/Larne

Glentoran/Cliftonville v Moyola Park/Coleraine

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Glenavon manager Michael O'Connor said he is "over the moon" after the Lurgan Blues' 3-1 victory over Glentoran at Mourneview Park.

A first-half double from David McDaid put the Lurgan Blues in the driving seat at the break.

Paul McGovern would then make it 3-0 with Ryan Cooney's strike for Glentoran proving to be a consolation goal.

"I am over the moon," O'Connor told BBC Sport NI.

"To beat Glentoran is hard to do, and I thought today the boys showed everything I asked of them.

"They take the credit, and I am just here to help them out. I thought they defended for their lives at the end."

The victory is just the Lurgan Blues second of the season with both wins coming since O'Connor has became manager.

Basement side Glenavon face 11th-placed Crusaders next with O'Connor adding that it will be a "tough" match.

"It is going to be a tough one," O'Connor continued.

"If you look at it, it looks like a six pointer, but we will approach it the same as we approached the Glentoran game and try win it."

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Glentoran manager Declan Devine said his side's 3-1 loss against basement side Glenavon was a "wake up call".

David McDaid scored twice in the first half to give the Lurgan Blues the lead at the break before Paul McGovern extended their advantage on 71 minutes.

Ryan Cooney did score for the Glens six minutes later, but the away side couldn't stage a late comeback.

"It is just a wake up call for us," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"We had them warned all week that this is a tricky venue and [it] was going to be a difficult game.

"I am really angry, frustrated and disappointed."

The result is Glentoran's second defeat of the season with the Glens sitting third in the table after 13 games.

As for the Lurgan Blues, the victory is their second win of the campaign with Michael O'Connor's side remaining seven points adrift at the bottom of the table.

"I also have to take responsibility for changing the shape this week and a different formation, it didn't work out," Devine continued.

"It was schoolboy stuff at times. I think we had three chances from a yard or two out and we didn't take the opportunity.

"A really frustrating day, one that we need to digest and one that we have to take lessons from."

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Portadown manager Niall Currie said his side made it "too easy" for Larne during their 3-0 defeat at Inver Park.

After a goalless first half, Larne netted three times during six second-half minutes to secure the three points and move up to second.

The Ports are struggling with consistency this season and are now without a victory in their last three league games.

"We were very good in the first half, really good shape and a wonderful save from Ferguson to stop us," Currie told BBC Sport NI.

"When we went in at half-time happy and talked about staying disciplined and then there were five/ six minutes of madness.

"It was too easy in the end for Larne after putting on such a valiant display in the first half."

Mark Randall fired two free-kicks in quick succession into the top corner to give the home side the lead just after the break.

Tiarnan O'Connor then added a third, with Currie adding that the third goal that his side conceded disappointed him the most.

"They are wonderful free-kicks," Currie continued.

"Both are world class and as good as you will see in Irish League football.

"We left ourselves wide open for the third goal and that is what disappoints me the most."

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Larne's Mark Randall said the Inver Reds "stuck together" after he scored twice in his side's 3-0 win over Portadown at Inver Park on Friday night.

Randall was on target with two sublime free-kicks in the space of three minutes to give Gary Haveron's side the lead just after the restart before Tiarnan O'Connor extended their advantage on 58 minutes.

The Inver Reds now sit in second position, three points behind league leaders Coleraine with two games in hand.

"We have players in there who can do special things on the pitch and we know that," Randall told BBC Sport NI.

"As a group we stuck together tonight and played the way we know we can play and got the three points."

The 36-year-old scored his first free-kick in the 52nd minute from 30 yards before netting again just three minutes later after Gary Thompson was penalised for a foul at the edge of the penalty area.

Both finishes flew into the top corner, leaving Portadown stopper Alex Moore with little chance.

"I stepped up and fortunately they went in," Randall continued when asked about his goals.

"Sometimes when games are going like that and teams are sitting in, you need a goal from a set-piece and luckily for me tonight I took two and they both went in.

"Conor McKendry wanted the second one, but I said, 'absolutely no chance' and took the ball."

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Despite his team heading the Irish Premiership, Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says Linfield remain "100% the team to catch" as the sides prepare to lock horns for the second time in 11 days at Windsor Park on Saturday (17:30 GMT kick-off, live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website).

The delayed first league meeting of the season between the teams at Ballycastle Road on 28 October saw the Bannsiders recover from a two-goal half-time deficit to draw 2-2.

While Linfield had 22 points to spare over nearest challengers Larne at the conclusion of the last campaign, it's Coleraine who currently top the table this term, with the Blues sitting fourth, 11 points behind the pacesetters with three games in hand over Ruaidhri Higgins' outfit.

"There's a third of the season gone and Linfield are rightly the favourites," argued Higgins before the blockbuster weekend meeting of the sides in Belfast.

"There is a lot of continuity there, they've had that team for a number of years now, whereas we're at the start of a journey so nothing's changed for me.

"As a manager it's my first competitive game at Windsor. Our players will love it, no doubt about it, they'll thrive in that environment, I can't wait."

'Building momentum'

The Coleraine boss says the proximity of the two top-flight fixtures between the clubs will mean they will be familiar with each other's strengths.

Goals from Matthew Fitzpatrick and Sam Roscoe had the Blues two goals to the good at the interval, with Matthew Shevlin and Charles Dunne finding the net in the second half.

"Both teams can take a lot from previous meeting. Certainly the first half highlighted their strengths but it also highlighted where we can get joy as well," added Higgins.

"They'll have learned a lot about us as well and that's the nature of it, when you play so close together.

"We know that they might change their system slightly – you'd expect both [Matthew] Fitzpatrick and [Kieran] Offord to play on Saturday, so we'll be prepared for that."

Coleraine have won four and drawn one of their past five league outings since losing to Bangor on 4 October and the former Derry City manager is hoping they can continue that unbeaten sequence as they continue to pursue a second Irish League title in their history.

"It would be brilliant for the group [to win at Windsor], for the whole club, for the supporters, for owners, board, players, staff, it would be brilliant.

"It helps with momentum. We've had a good start to the season and we're maybe further ahead than we might have expected.

"I think we're really enjoying our football, the players are enjoying playing together, we've got a bit of momentum behind us at the minute. Win at the weekend and that would really kick us on from a momentum point of view so that would be the big thing."

Image source, Inpho

Bangor boss Lee Feeney has been named October's manager of the month by the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association.

Feeney guided Bangor to the top flight from the Championship and the Seasiders have had a strong start to the season.

The Irish Premiership's new boys defeated leaders Coleraine, Glenavon and Crusaders, and they also drew with Larne.

Bangor also knocked Lisburn Distillery out of the BetMcLean Cup, before their exit at the hands of Larne on Tuesday.

It is the first time Feeney has won the award and he follows in the footsteps of his cousin, Warren.

"It's an honour to win this trophy, although in my opinion this award should be called Management Team of the Month," said Feeney.

"I would not be here if it wasn't for our staff and the players have also been superb.

"October's success was a real team effort, although as I keep telling everyone, we are not safe yet.

"Our goal this year was to avoid relegation, and that hasn't changed."

Joel Bell
BBC Sport NI

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Cliftonville's record goal scorer Joe Gormley said he was glad to "get it over the line" after scoring his 300th goal for the club.

Gormley scored the Reds' first goal in their 5-2 comeback BetMcLean Cup win over Strabane Athletic on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old scored his first goal for Cliftonville back in 2011 against Ards and became the club's record goal scorer in 2018.

In Irish League terms, he's still a way off the all-time to scorer Jimmy Jones, who scored 647 goals across his 22-year career, but with another milestone reached he's looking to the next one.

"It feels great, the last few weeks it's probably been playing on my mind a wee bit," Gormley told BBC Sport NI after the win.

"I'm just glad to get it over the line and get it done with, so I'll pack that up and go onto the next one."

Manager Jim Magilton praised Gormley's achievement as "incredible" as well as acknowledging his future with the club.

"It's a magnificent achievement for a magnificent player," he said after the win.

"The hardest thing to do in this game is put the ball in the back of the net, and to do it 300 times is just remarkable.

''Joe still has so much more to give us, and he will. Tonight, he scored one and probably missed three or four, which is unlike Joe Gormley.

"It's a wonderful achievement and he deserves all the accolades.''

Image source, Press Eye

Crusaders boss Declan Caddell said his side were "poor" in their 2-1 loss against Glentoran in the BetMcLean Cup.

Jonathan Russell opened the scoring for the Glens after 44 seconds with David Fisher adding a second before half-time for last year's beaten finalists.

Kurtis Forsythe scored a late consolation for the Crues, but Caddell said that goal did not tell the story of the game as it was "never close".

"Poor," is how Caddell summed up his team's performance at the Oval to BBC Sport NI as Crusaders fell to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions.

"The plan for this competition was we want to go out there and give it everything we had and when you concede after 44 seconds, the confidence just drains out of the players and that's probably how I see the game unfold.

"We never laid a glove on Glentoran, and we didn't have a shot until we scored the goal so really disappointing.

"We lost too many individual battles and we looked lethargic. Saturday [2-0 league loss against Dungannon Swifts] was a big disappointment, tonight was even worse."

Image source, Press Eye

Linfield boss David Healy said his side were "rubbish" in their 0-0 draw against Cliftonville on Sunday.

The Blues failed to trouble Reds stopper Peter Morrison, with Matthew Fitzpatrick firing wide and Sam Roscoe heading over their best two chances in a cagey game in north Belfast.

The champions have now drawn back-to-back league games and are 11 points behind leaders Coleraine with three games in hand, with Healy calling for his side to re-discover their quality in the final third.

"Rubbish," was Healy's initial assessment of the game.

"I think in terms of a spectacle, both teams were poor. I'm sure if I spoke to Jim (Magilton), he'd probably say the same. The disappointing thing is that when you look at the attacking quality supposedly on paper, we never showed it today.

"It's not always the forward players. Our attacking players include full-backs, midfielders, wide players. Collectively, we just didn't deliver. We work on a lot of things in training, but we didn't really see that come through today, which is frustrating."

Healy said that he had "no complaints about the effort" from his side but does have "concerns about decision-making in the final third".

"Effort and attitude were fine, but our quality in the attacking areas wasn't good enough. If we'd been a bit sharper from the middle third to the final third, we could have won the game," he added.

"A performance like that, on TV and in front of a good crowd, makes it plain to see that we lack that killer instinct, that cutting edge. That's why the game ended goalless for us."