Irish League Football

Image source, BBC Sport

Crusaders v Loughgall (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: Declan Caddell's team are going into the game off the back of a last-minute cup win and I think he'll want to push on in the league now. Loughgall will carry some confidence from their win over Dungannon, but Seaview has been a tough venue to get a result at this season.

Prediction: 2-0 (result 3-1)

Dungannon Swifts v Cliftonville (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: This one is going to be close. Rodney McAree's team have started the season very well and are always tough to break down at home. Cliftonville are on a bit of a bounce, but always seem to struggle down in Dungannon. There's little to separate the two in this one.

Prediction: 1-1 (result 1-4)

Glenavon v Glentoran (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: Glenavon are tough to break down, especially at home. They've had plenty of clean sheets this season and the longer they can stay in the game the more they'll frustrate Glentoran. Declan Devine will be looking to bounce back after a mixed bag of results recently.

Prediction: 0-1 (result 0-3)

Linfield v Ballymena United (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: I think Ballymena have been struggling at the minute and to play away at Windsor is as tough a challenge as it gets. Linfield will do what they always do at home. David Healy will know they need a big performance, and I think they'll get it.

Prediction: 3-0 (result 2-0)

Portadown v Carrick Rangers (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound)

Pre-match thoughts: This could be a close one at Shamrock Park. Portadown are in good form, coming off the back of some big wins. Carrick on the other hand, are having a hard time at the minute, but with new manager Stephen Baxter in charge, they could pull something out of the bag.

Prediction: 2-1 (result 1-1)

Larne v Coleraine (Sunday, 14:00 GMT, live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website)

Pre-match thoughts: Anytime we play Coleraine, they're tight games either decided by narrow score lines or ended in draws. We needed the win last week and want to come back and get another. We've got a lot of fixtures coming up and we want to push on and get a few points on the board.

Prediction: N/A (We'll let Tomas off with predicting this one!)

Don't forget to join Larne defender Tomas Cosgrove with Michael McNamee on this weekend's Sportsound programme on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport Website from 14:00 GMT on Saturday

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton said that his side's 4-1 away win against Dungannon Swifts was "very pleasing".

A Joe Gormley hat-trick and a fine curling strike from Taylor Steven secured the victory, which was the Reds' fourth successive league win.

And Magilton was pleased with his side's resilience as they levelled a minute after Gael Bigirimana had scored the opener for the Swifts.

"I'm chuffed, it is always a very difficult place to come with the way they play and pass the ball so to come here and score four goals it is very pleasing," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I felt we took a little bit to get going, it was important to score soon after they did and thankfully, we did and that gave us the impetus to go on and win."

The Reds boss also said that he was running out of superlatives to describe Gormley, who moved to 10 league goals with his treble.

"He is just phenomenal in the box; he is one of those special players that creates his own space, and his technical ability is special, so we are very lucky to have him," Magilton added.

"A lot was made of the forwards that left the club in the summer, but I always had great faith in those that remained, and Joe Gormley has proved over many years that he is a goal scorer and today was case in point."

Image source, Inpho

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell has been awarded October's manager of the month by the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association.

The Crues recorded victories over Coleraine and Ballymena United in the Irish Premiership, along with a draw with Larne at Inver Park.

Caddell's side also knocked Linfield out of the County Antrim Shield and defeated Championship side Ballyclare Comrades in the BetMcLean Cup.

"It was a good month even though we lost to Linfield in the league. It's always difficult when you play a team back-to-back like that," said Caddell, who replaced long-serving Stephen Baxter as the manager at Seaview

"But to take seven points in the league and to progress in both cup competitions means it was a good month. It was nice to put a run together.

"On a personal level, it's nice to be named Manager of the Month by the Football Writers', as I never managed to win the Player of the Month award!".

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Glentoran manager Declan Devine says his side are "desperate to get that consistency" as his team struggles for form this season.

The east Belfast side are seventh in the table eight points off leaders Linfield having played a game more.

Next up is a trip to Mourneview Park to face Glenavon, a team that has historically caused them a few headaches.

"We know that when we are at our levels, we’re more than a match for anyone. We’ve had a few wobbles here and there, as most teams have had as well, but we’re certainly looking to improve on our consistency," Devine said.

"I really don’t think we’re too far away, but we really have to go and demonstrate it now and make sure that those little inconsistencies that have cost us over the course of the opening phase of games, we can rectify and try and put to bed.

"I think coming up to Christmas, you will start to see a bit more consistency from teams. There’s been a lot of surprises and a lot of games where there’s really nothing in it."

Devine also spoke of the fact that missing three consecutive penalties at home in their last three games has been a huge source of frustration.

"We have had three consecutive [missed] penalties at home in three weeks and I’ve never in my life experienced anything like that," he conceded.

"It’s the fine margins. They weren’t penalties when you are two or three nil up, they were penalties that were really defining in the moment and if anything has probably been the biggest disappointment."

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Glenavon manager Stephen McDonnell says his side are "certainly doing good enough" despite back-to-back defeats in all competitions.

The Lurgan Blues suffered a disappointing BetMcLean League Cup exit at the hands of Armagh City which followed a 3-0 defeat at Loughgall in their last league outing.

They sit 10th in the table with just three wins from 15 games ahead of their meeting with Glentoran on Saturday, but McDonnell did not seem too perturbed.

"What’s done is done, but we also need to reflect in particular on the last two games, where we’ve dominated the football in terms of the chances created and we have missed some seriously easy opportunities to score goals," he said.

"In one way it’s a concern because we’re not putting the ball in the net, but on the other side of it, we’re creating multiple good opportunities, so that would suggest we’re certainly doing enough."

Whilst conceding that the last two games have been a "major disappointment", the manager is content with the progress his side are making.

“The reality is, we’re sitting on 15 points, which is nine points off second. There are four games in particular that we know we left points behind in, that we were extremely dominant in, and we picked up a draw," he explained.

"Four draws that we should’ve turned into four wins and those eight extra points means you’re two points off second. That’s how fine the margins are."

Speaking about this weekend’s fixture against a Glentoran side who are also desperate to put points on the board, McDonnell added that his side were going in with confidence.

"We drew 0-0 at The Oval in the reverse fixture and we should’ve taken all three points but, we take confidence from that.

"I think we’re in a better place from when we had to go to the Oval. We’ll be going to take full points and if we can do that, the whole complexion of the league table changes once again.”

Image source, Inpho

Ballymena United will host either holders Linfield or Glentoran in the tie of the round in the BetMcLean Cup quarter-finals.

The quarter-finals draw also pits Crusaders and Dungannon Swifts in another all-Irish Premiership tie.

Armagh City will take on Cliftonville with Annagh United, who beat Glenavon on penalties in the second round on Tuesday night, hosting either Institute or Irish Premiership champions Larne.

All quarter-final ties bar Ballymena's contest with Linfield or Glentoran will be played on 3 or 4 December.

Linfield's second-round contest against Glentoran will be played on Windsor Park on 3 December with the Institute v Larne game taking place on 19 November.

The semi-finals draw was also made on Wednesday with Annagh United, Institute or Larne taking on Armagh City or Cliftonville and Ballymena United, Linfield or Glentoran facing Crusaders or Dungannon in the other last-four tie.

The semi-finals will take place on 13/14 January.

BETMCLEAN CUP QUARTER-FINALS

Armagh City v Cliftonville

Annagh United v Institute or Larne

Ballymena United v Linfield or Glentoran

Crusaders v Dungannon Swifts

SEMI-FINALS

Annagh United or Institute or Larne v Armagh City or Cliftonville

Ballymena United or Linfield or Glentoran v Crusaders or Dungannon Swifts

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Manager Dean Shiels says Coleraine are taking Tuesday's BetMcLean Cup second-round tie away to Crusaders "very seriously".

The Bannsiders last won the League Cup in 2020, which was the club's last trophy.

Coleraine defeated Ballinamallard United 4-0 in the first round while Crusaders edged past Ballyclare Comrades 3-2.

"We want to go there and try to progress to get a cup run," said Shiels.

"You are only three or four games away from a cup final. That's the way of looking at it."

Shiels admits it is a "very difficult draw" for his side, but he wants his team to carry their recent momentum into the match.

After a difficult run of form, Coleraine have responded to win three of their last four league matches to sit fifth in the Irish Premiership table.

Crusaders won the only encounter between the sides earlier in the season but Shiels was delighted with the performance, despite the defeat.

"We played so well and created so many chances when we played them in the league.

"If we can go and replicate that performance then I'd be very happy.

"It's a tough game but we do feel good about ourselves at the moment. We look like a team that is motivated and we will go there hungry to try and progress."

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Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter hailed a "monumental effort" by his players even though they ultimately lost 3-1 to leaders Linfield in Sunday's Irish Premiership clash at Taylors Avenue.

Baxter said Joe Crowe's early Carrick goal "probably hindered us a bit because Linfield then came at us in waves".

Carrick led up until Kyle McClean's 77th-minute equaliser with Joel Cooper putting the Blues ahead two minutes later before Chris Shields' injury-time penalty.

"I was always fearful that once one goal went in, you might see one or two following after that because it’s very hard to sustain that pressure and defend the way you have to defend when you are up against a team like Linfield," said Baxter.

"I said before the match, it’s like a juggernaut coming at you and that’s exactly what it is. And you have to credit Linfield for hanging in there and finding the solution which they did."

It was Baxter's first defeat since taking the Carrick job last month.

"The last four weeks this team have worked exceptionally hard. I’ve very proud of what they’ve achieved thus far.

"We have a very limited squad right now in player availability etc. You work with what you have and I’m proud of the effort."

Image source, Inpho

Linfield manager David Healy insisted he and his players "won't get carried away" after moving five points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table following Sunday's 3-1 comeback win at Carrick Rangers.

Joe Crowe's third-minute goal put the hosts ahead but Kyle McClean levelled for Linfield on 77 minutes, with Joel Cooper immediately adding a second before Chris Shields' injury-time penalty.

"There's a long way to go," said Healy of the title race, with the Blues now five points clear of second-placed Cliftonville.

"We don’t get too high. We don’t get too low even though sometimes at Linfield, you want to get low because everybody, everything goes a little too negative."

Healy was pleased with his team's response to going behind.

"I don’t think we did an awful lot wrong in the first half. We found ourselves behind. We pushed but didn’t quite get the golden opportunities but we found a way, we stuck together in the second half.

"We certainly deserved to win the game in the end. We had enough ball. We had enough chances and then ultimately we scored the right amount of goals."