Irish League Football

With all eyes on the future of their manager David Healy, Linfield were four up at half time against Loughgall, ultimately winning 5-1 at Windsor Park.

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Declan Devine has made a seventh summer addition to his Glentoran squad with the signing of Kodi Lyons-Foster.

The defender, who spent time in youth academies at Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Bristol City, most recently played for Worthing in the National League South.

Glentoran, who saw defenders Luke McCullough, Rhys Marshall and Aidan Wilson leave the Oval after the 2023-24 campaign, suffered an early season injury blow when Josh Kelly was forced off against Coleraine this week.

“Kodi is a very welcome addition to the group," said Devine.

"He’s a right footed defender who can fit in anywhere across the back four. We needed that balance of a right footer to fit in either as part of a three or at right back.

"He’s the perfect age for us and he’s clocked up a high number of games at a good level on top of his great pedigree as a youth player.

"He’s also a fantastic person who’ll fit very well into what is already a very good, tight group of players with a great positive attitude and a willingness to fight tooth and nail to get the results and success we all want.

"Kodi fits that bill perfectly and I’m delighted to have him here.”

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David Fisher said scoring his first goals of the season was a "relief" as he was on target twice in Glentoran's 3-2 Irish Premiership victory over Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

Fisher admitted that he had not had the "easiest" of starts to the campaign.

"I just got myself into the right headspace today and made sure I put in a performance that the fans deserve," Fisher told BBC Sport Northern Ireland after Friday night's game.

Glens boss hailed Fisher's display as "outstanding" as he levelled at 1-1 four minutes before half-time and then headed a 77th-minute winner.

"It’s a new team. We’ve got loads of fresh faces. We’re still learning how each other plays and getting used to each other," added the striker.

After losing their opening game of the campaign at home to Crusaders, the Glens have responded by picking up seven points out of a possible nine and Fisher believes that it demonstrates encouraging signs for the Oval club.

"We just need to keep going the way we are going and we’ll get there. We’ll definitely be up there I think."

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Declan Devine hailed his Glentoran players' "tremendous character" as they battled to secure a 3-2 Irish Premiership victory over 10-man Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

Carrick boss Stuart King complained about Glentoran's Marcus Kane escaping a red card prior before the before of home player Kurtis Forsythe shortly before the interval.

Devine retorted that Carrick's penalty which gave them a 1-0 lead should not have been a spot-kick as he claimed that the challenge on Paul Heatley had been "outside the box".

"We all make mistakes. Thankfully it didn’t cost us," Devine told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"Fantastic character from the lads with our third game in six days at a really difficult venue against a really good team under Stuart."

Devine hailed the display of two-goal hero David Fisher with Frankie Hvid scoring Glentoran's other goal in first-half injury-time.

"David Fisher tonight was outstanding. And I thought James Douglas in the middle of the park at only 18 years of age and only his second start for Glentoran was magnificent.

"All in all, three points in the bag. Seven points out of nine the last six days. We’ll take that and move on to next week."

Devine added that he expects to add to his squad strength prior to Friday's transfer deadline day.

"We’re delighted with the people we’ve got but we’re still a wee bit fragile in certain positions."

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Carrick Rangers manager Stuart King said Glentoran should have been reduced to 10 men before his side had Kurtis Forsythe sent off in their 3-2 Irish Premiership home defeat at Taylors Avenue.

King was unhappy that Glentoran defender Marcus Kane only received a yellow card in the 32nd minute for a lunging tackle on Carrick's Joe Crowe, who had to go off after attempting to run off the effects of the challenge.

Forsythe was then sent off before the interval after being deemed to have committed two yellow-card offences on Jonny Russell in a four-minute period.

Asked whether he was "disappointed" by Forsythe's red card, King replied: "I am. That’s all I’ve got to say on it."

King was a little more animated about Kane's tackle on Crowe.

"There’s a straight red card in my opinion in the 32nd minute before we went down to 10 men.

"I don’t want to talk about referees all season. I want to talk about my own lads and what they can do to affect games. We have made errors and misjudged things which basically cost us in the end."

King said his team had performed "really well" but were undone by "individual errors".

"Even when we went down to 10 men and then nine men, we gave it a real go good.

"They’ve celebrated as if they’ve won the league tonight but that’s football. Fair play to them. They’ve won a game that we really performed at a high level in especially when we went down to 10 men. It’s disappointing."

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Sean Brown, who has rejoined Ballymena United for a second spell on loan from Larne, says he is at a stage of his development where he "needs to start playing minutes".

The 19-year-old helped the Sky Blues retain their top flight status last season and while his parent club were preparing for their Uefa Conference League play-off first leg against Lincoln Red Imps on Thursday, Brown played in the 1-0 defeat by Crusaders on Tuesday night on his return to the Showgrounds outfit.

“I feel like it’s my career and I need to start playing minutes. I can’t be sitting on the bench watching," he told BBC Sport NI.

“I’m still a teenager and I’m trying to get experience with all these top players."

Brown praises the approach of United manager Jim Ervin and expects a difficult game against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park on Saturday as the Braidmen search for their first league points of the new campaign.

“He [Jim Ervin] lets me play my own game and enjoy myself," he explained. "I'm still looking to get my full fitness back though.

“Dungannon are a good team, they play good football, but we’ll try and get after them and get the three points.”

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Two Irish Premiership games have been postponed because of international call-ups.

The matches between Cliftonville and Coleraine and Linfield against Crusaders, both scheduled for Saturday 7 September, will both be rearranged for alternative dates.

A further four fixtures are set to go ahead that day - Larne v Ballymena United, Carrick Rangers v Portadown, Dungannon Swifts v Glentoran and Glenavon v Loughgall.

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This will be a difficult game for both teams.

Carrick will be looking for a response after last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Loughall while Glentoran will hope for maximum points after their goalless draw with Coleraine, but they may have a few key injuries!

In terms of players to watch, for Carrick, the firepower and threat of Curtis Allen and Danny Gibson will be key to their chances.

For Glentoran, Jordan Jenkins has had a positive start to the season, having scored in their win at Portadown.

Dylan Connolly is a potential threat in attack also.

Join Michael Clarke with Paul Leeman on co-commentary for Carrick Rangers v Glentoran live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 19:30 BST.

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Matty Lusty says Larne still believe they can qualify for the Uefa Conference League despite falling to a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of their play-off against Lincoln Red Imps.

Lusty's superb first-half strike handed the Irish Premiership champions an early advantage in Faro on Thursday only for Kike Gomez and Joe to turn the tie in the Gibraltar side's favour.

Lusty, 21, admits Larne gave the Imps "too much respect" in the first half but the forward is confident the Inver Park side can realise their European dream in front of their home fans next week.

"We believe in ourselves," Lusty told BBC Sport NI.

"We put Ballkani out and we can beat this team as well."

He added: "It was a tough game. It took us a while to figure them out in the first and we probably gave them too much respect but the second half was much better. We just didn't get that goal to level it."

Having fallen behind in Faro, Larne spurned a chance to level the tie with a quarter of an hour to play when Andy Ryan fired wide having rounded the keeper following a Lusty flick-on.

"Going into the home leg we'll probably have a lot of possession and hopefully we can do more with it and create more chances," said Lusty, who also scored Larne's winner in the away leg against Ballkani.

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Three weeks into the Irish Premiership season and already the league table is starting to take shape. Five of last season's top six sit in the top of half of the standings, with the lone exception being the back-to-back champions Larne who have yet to kick a ball in domestic action owing to their European run.

Tiernan Lynch's side, who would have been hosting Portadown this weekend, will sit out another round this weekend in preparation for next week's Uefa Conference League qualifying second leg against the Lincoln Red Imps, but we've still five games across Friday and Saturday.

Carrick Rangers striker Curtis Allen gives us his predictions for a slate that starts with his current side up against his old team.

Carrick Rangers v Glentoran - Friday 19:45 BST (live on BBC iPlayer)

We're expecting a tough game but we welcome it with confidence. They beat us in the cup but didn’t beat us in the league. I feel we can get something out of the game.

Prediction: 1-0 (Result: 2-3)

Coleraine v Glenavon - Saturday 15:00 BST (live on Sportsound on Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds)

Coleraine have had a more positive start to the season with Glenavon yet to win a game. I'd expect both teams to score but Coleraine to win.

Prediction: 2-1

Crusaders v Cliftonville - Saturday 15:00 BST (live on Sportsound on Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds)

This will be a close one. A derby game and neither team will want to lose their winning start. Both teams will be happy with a point. I predict a draw for that one.

Prediction: 1-1

Dungannon Swifts v Ballymena United - Saturday 15:00 BST (live on Sportsound on Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds)

Both teams with a start they wouldn’t have hoped for. Will be close but I think Dungannon might shade this one.

Prediction: 2-1

Linfield v Loughgall - Saturday 15:00 BST (live on Sportsound on Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds)

It's hard to look past Linfield. Loughgall look fit, like they always do, but with Linfield starting so well and hitting the ground running they will win comfortably.

Prediction: 3-0

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Larne manager Tiernan Lynch said two defensive lapses proved costly as they were defeated 2-1 by Lincoln Red Imps in the Uefa Conference League play-off first leg in Faro.

Matty Lusty's brilliant long-range strike gave the Premiership champions an early lead but Kike Gomez levelled before Joe put the Gibraltar side in front before the break in Faro.

"We're disappointed with the goals we conceded," said Lynch.

"We've been absolutely outstanding out of possession but it was just two moments that we lapsed and we got punished."

Larne will become the first Irish League team to reach the group stage of a major European competition if they secure an aggregate victory, with qualification likely to secure them in excess of £3m.

There were also positives from Thursday night's game for Lynch as Larne prepare for what could be a history-making showdown in the return leg at Inver Park next week.

"We can't take away from how hard the boys worked, the effort and commitment.

"I thought we had a much better second half and looked more like ourselves - hopefully that gives us confidence going into the second leg."

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Glentoran first team coach Tim McCann says the east Belfast side have to "get on with it" as they prepare for a third league game in six days.

Declan Devine's squad travel to Carrick on Friday night in a game to be shown live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

"Three games in six days, you hear Premier League managers complaining if they've two games in six days," said McCann.

"The schedule hasn't been kind to us. It's been difficult, but you get on with it, you don't moan about it."

Glentoran go into the game with a number of injury doubts after Jay Donnelly, Joshua King and Cameron Palmer had to be substituted during the 0-0 draw with Coleraine at the Oval on Tuesday night.

"We'll see what we're like," added McCann. "The physios and masseurs will have their work cut out.

"You know what you're going to get at Taylor's Avenue.

"It's going to be a battle and we need to make sure we're up for the battle."

In contrast, having been idle midweek, Carrick Rangers manager Stuart King is itching to get his side back on the pitch.

Due to play Larne on Tuesday night, their fixture was postponed due to the league champions' ongoing European campaign, leaving the Taylor's Avenue club six days to stew over a 3-0 defeat to Loughgall last weekend that King deemed "not acceptable".

"It is what it is, a real bad day at the office and hopefully we can sort it out for Friday," he said.

"Just write it off. You can sit and mope about it.

"I genuinely wish we [had been] playing Tuesday night, obviously the game [was] called off because of Larne's success in Europe. We go again Friday."

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Larne have a "great chance" of qualifying for the Uefa Conference League but their play-off against Lincoln Red Imps "won't be easy", says Desi Curry, who has held high-profile roles in both the Northern Ireland and Gibraltar football structures.

After serving as the Irish FA's technical director, Curry spent five years in a similar role with the Gibraltar FA between 2017 and 2022 and had a spell in charge of their national team, which included several Lincoln players.

"For Larne, it's fantastic opportunity and they'll be very well prepared for that," Curry told BBC Sport NI.

"I think they have a great chance but over two legs it's not going to be an easy game.

"Both teams will be giving it their all because the financial rewards are so big but it's a great opportunity for Northern Ireland football to showcase the NIFL league on the European stage."

With several Red Imps players boasting international caps and experience of having played at Estadio Algarve in Faro - the venue for Thursday's first leg - Curry warns that the Gibraltarian champions will not be overawed by the occasion.

Indeed, they famously beat Celtic in 2016 and qualified for the 2021-22 Conference League group stage.

"Going to that stadium and playing in a game like this, 50 or 60% of their squad have international experience and playing against teams like the Netherlands, Norway and France," added Curry.

"So for many of them this will not necessarily be a big occasion. It'll be a run-of-the-mill game."

Who are Lincoln Red Imps, the side standing between Larne and history?

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Loughgall manager Dean Smith says he is like a "proud dad" after Benji Magee sealed a move to Irish Premiership champions Larne this week.

The 22-year-old striker scored 16 goals in the Villagers' return to the top flight last year, helping Smith's side to a 9th place finish.

Magee was one of the most sought after players in the Irish Premiership's transfer market this summer and with just over a week to go in the window moves to Inver Park to replace Lee Bonis who joined Ado Den Haag this month.

"For us, as the window went on we maybe thought we'd a chance of keeping him," admitted Smith.

"I'm delighted for him. I keep saying I'm like a proud dad.

"We've had him here for three seasons, he's matured. He's come in a real good prospect and left a really good player.

"For me, Larne have got a real exciting talent who can bounce on again from Larne in the way that Lee Bonis has done."

Magee's old side started life without their star forward with a 2-2 draw against Portadown on Tuesday night, twice coming from a goal down to take a share of the spoils.

While Smith felt that Josh Ukek was offside for Portadown's second, and that his own side created enough opportunities to win the game, he views the point as a sign of progression.

"For me, I thought we created the better chances from open play and maybe more chances than Portadown," he added.

"We're a wee bit disappointed not to get the winner but I said to the boys, 12 months ago we'd have lost this game. We'd have tried to win it and ended up conceding.

"Hopefully our game intelligence is growing and the players are growing."

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New Glentoran goalkeeper Daniel Gyollai believes Declan Devine's squad are all pulling in the same direction after "de-weeding" at the Oval over the summer.

The east Belfast side - who have not won the title since 2009 - finished a disappointing fifth last season with Devine instigating a huge clearout of the playing squad after being named Warren Feeney's permanent successor in April.

There were more than twice as many outgoings as incomings but, despite a relatively modest four points from their first three games, Gyollai saw plenty of fight on show in Tuesday's goalless stalemate with Coleraine.

"I've been told of the issues of the past," said the former Hungarian under-21 international.

"I think it's been a bit of de-weeding, getting rid of those who weren't pulling for the shirt, pulling for each other.

"I think we've an absolute brilliant group of lads that are fighting for each other."

Glentoran were forced into several reshuffles during the game against the Bannsiders thanks to injuries to Joshua Kelly and Cammy Palmer, with both Paddy McClean and James Singleton deployed in multiple positions over the 90 minutes.

"You see Paddy and Singo playing in three different positions I think that shows that the group are fighting for each other," Gyollai added.

"We've got a lot of room for improvement. You can see there are still relationships being made on the pitch. Off the pitch, the boys are brilliant."

Devine, a former Glentoran player himself, has made a point of reconnecting with the side's storied history, bringing in the likes of club legend Paul Leeman to discuss his own silverware winning experiences and restoring pride in the shirt has been a recurring theme.

"Everyone is reminding us that this is a big club and what it means to play for this club," Gyollai said.

"All we can do is show them the fight and make sure we get the results for them and for the fans."

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Portadown's Josh Ukek believes the Shamrock Park outfit can build upon taking their first point back in the Irish Premiership.

Niall Currie's newly promoted club started the season with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Cliftonville and Glentoran before getting off the mark with a 2-2 draw away to Loughgall on Tuesday night.

The Ports led twice on the night but, for the second time four days, were undone by a deflected goal when Tiernan's Kelly's shot struck Lewis MacKinnon and beat Aaron McCarey for Loughgall's second equaliser.

Ukek, who scored his first goal for the club in the second half after a summer move from Bala Town, admitted Kelly's fortuitous effort was akin to a "sucker punch" but was able to take solace from his side's first point back in the top flight.

"It's a bit tough to take but at the end of the day we needed points on the board," he said.

"I think if we lost, we'd have been down in the dumps. We got a point, second half was a lot better from us, so we'll get confidence and we can gain momentum now with this draw.

"We dug in deep and we move onto the next game."

With Saturday's scheduled fixture postponed due to Larne's involvement in the Uefa Conference League, that next game now sees Portadown host Linfield on 30 August.

"Playing against these top six sides, full-time sides, it's always tough," added Ukek.

"I back all the lads, we've a good dressing room, good team, good players.

"We can have a good game against them and hopefully we can get something."

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Coleraine head coach Dean Shiels was "delighted" with his side's clean sheet in their 0-0 draw with Glentoran on Tuesday night but admitted they will need to be more clinical on their travels as the season wears on.

The Bannsiders drew 1-1 away to Dungannon to open their campaign and, although they did hit Ballymena for four on their own patch last week, Tuesday night's goalless stalemate at the Oval saw a number of good chances wasted.

Matthew Shevlin was twice through on goal in the first half but was denied by Glens keeper Daniel Gyollai.

"We created really good chances in the first half and coming away from home you've got to take those," said Shiels.

"[Shevlin has] been clinical for us, we know he'll get goals for us, but obviously it's big moments. When we went away from home in our first game, we missed two or three really big chances.

"It's tough away from home, there's times you're up against it, there's times you have to dig in and wait for those moments. If we can be a bit more ruthless and clinical, then that would be great."

While Glentoran dictated things in the second half, and Shiels thought his side "lacked composure" in possession, he was encouraged by their work off the ball.

"Out of possession we were superb," he added. "There was so much hard work.

"Glentoran have so many good players, really, really good players. We had to get the press right, to be compact. There are loads of positives in that regard.

"It's game three, we're delighted with the clean sheet, and we move onto the next one."

Coleraine are next in action at home to Glenavon on Saturday.