Irish League Football

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Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says he is relishing facing an in-form Glenavon side in Friday night's Premiership encounter.

The Lurgan Blues go into the Stangmore Park game, which will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website, having won their last three games although the Swifts are having a season to remember and sit second in standings.

Glenavon will be back in action three days after beating Championship club Dundela 2-0 at Moureview Park to make the Irish Cup sixth round.

"I saw watched them against Dundela and they were decent. They moved the ball well and showed more energy that they did when they went through a bad run of results," said McAree.

"They've a lot of good players that can hurt you so we have to make sure we're as good as we possibly can be.

"It's going to be a difficult game but it's one we're looking forward to because we find ourselves in the position that we're in."

Paddy McLaughlin replaced Stephen McDonnell as Mourneview Park manager in November and has helped move the Lurgan Blues out of the relegation zone.

"I like Paddy, he's a great guy as well - he's certainly got a little bit of bounce in them.

"He hasn't made too many changes. I expected more incomings at Mourneview but he's maybe got a little bit of a response out of the players that he has and feels he doesn't need to add too many."

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Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton dedicated Tuesday's dramatic BetMcLean Cup semi-final victory to his late defender Michael Newberry.

Destiny Ojo scored an extra-time winner against 10-man Larne, who had Shaun Want sent off in the second half but defended resolutely to keep Cliftonville at bay.

While there were wild celebrations after Ojo's 117th minute goal and again at full-time, Magilton admitted it was a "poignant" night for his players.

"It was a really poignant night for us, and a sombre night," he said.

"Yes, we'll enjoy this but we travel to Newcastle on Wednesday to attend Michael Newberry's funeral on Thursday."

He said the performance "characterised" late Cliftonville defender Newberry, who passed away suddenly on 30 December.

"In terms of his team-mates going to the wire, showing their guts, showing their determination and character," Magilton added.

"We're going to go and share memories with his family and give him a good send off."

Cliftonville are back in Irish Premiership action on Saturday against Loughgall, and will face Glentoran in the BetMcLean Cup final on Sunday, 9 March.

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Premiership champions Larne have brought in forward Harry Panayiotou until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old Saint Kitts and Nevis international played under Larne's head of football Nathan Rooney at Bruno's Magpies before moving to Sirens FC in Malta last year.

Panayiotou began his career at Leicester City and scored the winner against Leeds United on his senior debut in 2012.

Spells at clubs in England, Scotland and Greece followed before he scored 12 goals in 37 appearances for Aldershot Town in the National League in the 2020/21 season.

"It's nice to get the move over the line, I've been speaking to the club for around a week or so and now that we've managed to get the deal over the line I'm buzzing," said Panayiotou, who has netted 12 times in his 38 caps for Saint Kitts and Nevis.

"As a player I'm a forward who can act as a bit of an all-rounder – I can come short but can also play long if required. I'm looking forward to getting the head down in training, getting sharper and hopefully getting some minutes when the Gaffer calls on me."

Panayiotou's international clearance will not come through in time for Tuesday's BetMcLean Cup semi-final against Cliftonville but he will be available to face Glentoran in the Premiership on Saturday.

"I have previously worked with Harrison for a short period of time in the past and I know what he will be able to bring to our group in terms of experience, having played at similar levels in England and Scotland, alongside other leagues in Europe," said Rooney.

"As a player, he possesses good hold-up play for a centre-forward, while also being able to lead the line in terms of pressing really well with an ability to mix up his movements in the box which is something that is vital that our forward line continues to do."

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Larne will aim to remain on target for a first BetMcLean Cup success when they host Cliftonville in Tuesday's semi-final of the competition at Inver Park.

The east Antrim club's dramatic renaissance of recent seasons has seen them collect back-to-back league titles, win four County Antrim Shield finals in a row and break new ground for the Irish League by qualifying for the league stages of the Uefa Conference League.

Victories in the Irish Cup and BetMcLean Cup have so far eluded the Invermen however.

Gary Haveron's side saw off Cliftonville 2-0 in Friday's Premiership encounter between the sides at the same venue but another close contest is anticipated with a place in the 9 March showpiece final at stake.

Larne's last appearance in a League Cup final saw them lose to Cliftonville on penalties in the 2003-04 campaign, while they also came out second best to Linfield in their only other previous involvement in a final in the 1991-92 campaign.

Larne go into the game on a run of five unbeaten in the Premiership, with Jim Magilton's side, in contrast, on a sequence of five games without a win in the top division, including defeats in their past four.

The Solitude Reds last lifted the League Cup trophy in 2022 when they defeated Coleraine 4-3 after extra-time and they will be keen to add more silverware to the Irish Cup they collected in May.

Tuesday's other BetMcLean Cup semi-final sees Glentoran face off against Crusaders at the Oval.

The Glens have not tasted defeat in their past nine matches in all competitions so with home advantage in their favour confidence should be high that they can move a step closer to winning the competition for the first time since 2010.

Crusaders target an appearance in the decider with the aim of righting their record of three defeats in their past three finals in the competition.

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Linfield goalkeeper David Walsh has been named as the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Player of the Month for December.

Walsh played a significant role in helping his side secure a big cushion at the top of the Irish Premiership table, keeping four clean sheets in the club's four league games during the final month of 2024.

David Healy's side defeated Coleraine 3-0, beat Dungannon Swifts 1-0, saw off Glenavon by the same scoreline and drew 0-0 with 'Big Two' derby rivals Glentoran on Boxing Day.

Walsh is competing with the experienced former Coleraine stopper Chris Johns for the goalkeeper starting jersey at the Windsor Park outfit but says picking up trophies come the end of the season is the primary focus.

"It's good to win personal stuff but it's more about the team and what we can win at the end of the season," Walsh told BBC Sport NI.

"If someone had said at the start of the season we would be 12 points clear we'd have bitten your arm off. With boys coming in we'll hopefully go from strength to strength between now and the end of the season.

"I'd spoken to the manager a couple of times about wanting to play and he just said 'your time will come' and thankfully it has."

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Carrick Rangers boss Stephen Baxter said that his side "didn't do enough" to trouble Linfield as they were beaten 3-0 by the Blues at Windsor Park.

After restricting Linfield in the first half, the Blues' quality shone in the second as goals from Joel Cooper, Euan East and Matthew Fitzpatrick secured the three points.

Despite the loss, Baxter was content with his side's display against the league leaders.

"It was a tight game, because we made it tight, we made sure we were defensively solid and we restricted Linfield to chances from outside our box," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Linfield played at a higher tempo today and had more quality than we did and when you put those together you are always going to be up against it.

"We were here to try contain Linfield and hit them on the break, but it didn't happen for us, it's a learning curve, but we haven't done enough here to win the game."

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Linfield boss David Healy praised his side's second half display in their 3-0 win against Carrick Rangers.

After a drab goalless first half, second half efforts from Joel Cooper, Euan East and Matthew Fitzpatrick secured the win, which extends the Blues' lead at the top of the table to 12 points.

"I thought there were bits and pieces in the first half, we created decent opportunities but credit to Stephen and his team, we had to be patient," Healy told BBC Sport NI.

"We didn't feel as if we had to readjust too much, we just had to be more clinical in the final third.

"We got a wonderful goal by Joel and it was important to capitalise on that which we did and we had a 10–15-minute spell where we blitzed them and made it a lot more comfortable."

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Loughgall manager Dean Smith said his side can have no complaints about the result after their narrow 1-0 defeat by Portadown at Lakeview Park.

The struggling Villagers suffered a 17th league loss of the season after James Teelan's goal secured the three points for the Ports.

Smith's side are eight points adrift of Carrick Rangers at the bottom of the table as they battle for survival.

"It is a difficult day in difficult conditions, there wasn't a lot in the game first half and second half we huffed and puffed without creating too many chances," Smith told BBC Sport NI.

"Portadown had the better clear-cut chances, so we have no complaints about the result."

Smith was also frustrated by the manner of the goal they conceded.

"We can't keep giving goals away like we do at the minute and expect to win football games," he added.

"We are lacking confidence with where we are, but it is basics, it is a long throw-in and a runner goes clean through, so it is another sloppy goal from us."

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Portadown boss Niall Currie praised the "full-hearted" display from his side in their hard-fought 1-0 win against Loughgall at Lakeview Park.

James Teelan scored the only goal of the game in the first half as the Ports got back to winning ways after successive league defeats.

And Currie was delighted with the response of his side to their recent struggles, including an Irish Cup exit to Championship Annagh United, on a difficult pitch.

"I think everyone could see how heavy the pitch was and it was a game for warriors, we knew we would have to dig in really deep and the players were superb today," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We've got a full-hearted Portadown performance which we have had for most of the same, the last three or four performances have been disappointing, but we were resolute and resilient and thoroughly deserved our win."

Currie reserved special praise for goalscorer Teelan, who netted on his debut last week and again today as he continues his bright start to life at the Ports after signing from Crusaders.

"He has been super, he has been a breath of fresh air, he causes problems with his movement and pace in behind and two great finishes and he has come in and hit the ground running."

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Crusaders boss Declan Caddell said it was a "really poor day at the office" after his side were beaten 5-1 at Seaview by Dungannon Swifts.

The north Belfast side were 2-0 down at half-time after goals from John McGovern and Brandon Bermingham.

McGovern netted a third soon after the restart with Tomas Galvin scoring twice either side of Jordan Owens' consolation goal.

"I thought we weren't at the races today and Dungannon were excellent, and they were ruthless," he told BBC Sport NI.

"First half, two mistakes from ourselves and two goals. You get them in at half-time and try and regroup and another mistake and it's the third goal and the game is dead," Caddell continued.

"It was damage limitation from us, we have a big game on Tuesday [a BetMcLean Cup semi-final against Glentoran] and it gave me the opportunity to get a few boys off."

Whilst refusing to make excuses from his side's poor display at home, Caddell admitted that injuries have hampered his team in recent weeks.

"We had three of the same starting 11 from when we played them five weeks ago with eight missing, they have virtually the same starting team and I have been harping on about it, but injuries are killing us at the minute."

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Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree said his side played "extremely well" in their stunning 5-1 victory against Crusaders at Seaview.

The Swifts produced a ruthless display to ease to victory with John McGovern and Tomas Galvin both netting twice and Brandon Bermingham getting on the scoresheet.

The win moves the Swifts up to second in the table and McAree was delighted with their clinical performance.

"It's been a long time since we have come to Seaview and got a win, we came here earlier in the season and we played extremely well but didn't get the three points," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I thought today, to a man, we were very good, we could be better but that is just the expectations I have."

McAree was particularly pleased with how his side managed the second half and went for more goals after leading 2-0 at half-time, netting soon after the restart.

"That second goal gives you the cushion, it was a great pass from Kealan [Dillon] and a good finish from John and it let me enjoy the game a bit more," McAree admitted.

After a sticky patch, the Swifts have now won back-to-back league games to move back up the table and McAree wants them to keep pushing as they look to secure a top six spot after a superb campaign to date.

"We're going in the right direction, we know there is still a lot of improvement, but we want to stay there now and see how long we can stay there for," he added.

"It's not a fluke that we are where we are, we haven't played three or four games, we've played 24 games and we've got good quality so as long as we show desire, we can stay there."