Irish League Football

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Ards manager John Bailie said that holders Cliftonville "fully deserved" their 3-0 Irish Cup semi-final win at Windsor Park.

Joe Gormley opened the scoring for the Reds before substitutes Alex Parsons and Ryan Corrigan added goals in the second half.

And Bailie believes his Championship side were beaten by a superior team as the Reds reached a second successive Irish Cup final.

"It's been a really tough night, we knew it would be tough, Cliftonville are a quality side, and they played some quality stuff tonight," he told BBC Sport NI.

"They fully deserved their win, they played really well and did a good number on us."

Bailie bemoaned Ards' misfortune with the few chances they created when the game was still in the balance as well as their naivety in being caught on the counter-attack by Cliftonville.

"We struggled for large parts tonight with their movement, but to be fair to our lads we stayed in the game for a long time," he added.

"At 1-0 we had a few half chances, and you need those to go in and at 2-0 we had the one [from Darius Roohi] that just goes over the crossbar.

"If we had a bit more quality it might have been a different game, but the last 10-15 minutes you could see the legs were gone and every time Cliftonville broke they looked as though they could score."

The Ards boss itted the defeat would hurt for a while but he praised his players for making it to the last four, knocking out Premiership sides Ballymena United and Loughgall in the process.

"There will be disappointment, but they just have to suck that up and learn from the occasion, we can't dwell on it.

"We got beat by a team that can beat any team in the league. It is not a disgrace, we are not ashamed, I told the players to be proud of our cup run and their efforts.

"Tonight, we fell short, but we have to accept that."

Image source, Inpho

Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says managing his hometown club in an Irish Cup final would be "a dream come true".

The Stangmore Park club will face Championship leaders Bangor in the second of the semi-finals in this year's competition at Seaview on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

McAree was part of the side which went down to Linfield in a penalty shootout in the 2007 decider at Windsor Park and then guided his team to a League Cup success in 2018 during his first stint as Swifts boss.

"You always dreamt as a player about representing your club in the Irish Cup final which I was fortunate enough to do, even though we got beaten on penalty kicks that day," McAree told BBC Sport NI.

"Then when you take up the mantle of head coach, or any coaching role, you want to be involved in an Irish Cup final.

"It would be a dream come true if we were involved in it on the first Saturday in May but we know we have a lot of hard work to do to get there."

McAree's side sit fourth in the Irish Premiership table ahead of the five rounds of post-split fixtures and a cup final appearance and success would cap off what has been an exceptional season for the club so far.

"It would mean everything to me personally. Obviously I've grown up a mile from the ground. This is my club, this is where my heart is.

"It's a massive opportunity for the club to get to the final of a prestigious final like the Irish Cup and it's certainly one that we don't want to let us by."

Bangor were 3-1 victors over Premiership powerhouse Glentoran at the quarter-final stage earlier this month while Dungannon have claimed the scalps of fellow top flight outfits Coleraine and Carrick Rangers on their way to reaching the last four.

"Our mentality has to be right. It's going to be difficult, we're coming up against a Bangor side that are running away with the Championship," added McAree.

"We've had them watched on four occasions, I've watched them twice myself, so we feel as if we've done our homework.

"They have a lot of good players, a lot of threat. We saw what they did in the last round so we're well aware of the threats and the strengths that they have."

Image source, Presseye

Irish Premiership side Loughgall have announced former Dungannon Swifts boss Darren Murphy as their new manager on a three-year deal.

Murphy's appointment follows confirmation earlier this week of his departure as manager of League of Ireland First Division side Finn Harps.

He replaces former Villagers boss Dean Smith, who recently parted company with the struggling Lakeview Park outfit.

Loughgall sit nine points adrift of Carrick Rangers at the foot of the table, having won just four and drawn six of their 33 league matches to date this season.

The 50-year-old's previous coaching jobs also include being part of the backroom staff at both Linfield and Crusaders.

Loughgall chairman Sam Nicholson said: "We moved swiftly to appoint a new manager and after a thorough selection process, we believe Darren is the ideal candidate to drive Loughgall FC forward.

"His vision and expertise will be invaluable in developing our boys and girls youth academies.

"We are excited to see Darren's impact throughout the club and are committed to ensuring a successful future for Loughgall FC."

The current backroom staff will remain in place for next Tuesday's league game against Ballymena United, with Murphy in attendance.

Image source, Presseye

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton says he expects his side to "rise to the challenge" when they face Ards in the first of the weekend's Irish Cup semi-finals at Windsor Park on Friday night.

The Reds are defending the trophy they won for the first time since 1979 by beating Linfield in last year's decider and last month the north Belfast club added the BetMcLean Cup to their silverware cabinet.

Ards have defeated Premiership opponents in the form of Ballymena United and Loughgall on their way to reaching the last four of the competition and are on a run of four consecutive wins in the Championship.

"They're winning games, they're very confident. We face a huge challenge, one that we're going to rise to," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"We know how confident a group they are. Winning games of football just breeds confidence.

"We recognise their strengths and we need to exploit whatever weaknesses are in their team. We're very determined to defend the Irish Cup."

The teams met earlier in the season in the first round of the County Antrim Shield in September, the Reds only advancing courtesy of a 9-8 penalty shootout success after the game ended 0-0.

"You look at Ards' record in the cup competitions this year, we played them here and they were so unlucky not to go through," reflected the Reds boss.

"They've had two major scalps in the Irish Cup and we're expecting a really tough game. They're very well organised, well coached, they've got players who can hurt you.

"They have certainly earned the right to play in an Irish Cup semi-final with a goal of reaching an Irish Cup final very much in their sights and we have to stand up and be counted."

Magilton believes his squad includes the kind of players who relish the opportunity of performing on the big occasions.

"The best players take the pressure on board. They love it, they love that stage, they want it, they crave it.

"They now have an opportunity to present themselves again and we'll see what happens," he added.

Image source, Inpho and Press Eye

And then there were four.

The finalists for the Irish Cup final on 3 May will be confirmed this weekend and here's how you can follow all the action across BBC Sport NI.

Who is in the semi-finals?

We have Premiership v Championship in both last four ties with Ards facing holders Cliftonville at Windsor Park on Friday and Bangor up against Dungannon Swifts at Seaview on Saturday.

Where can I watch the games?

Both games will be live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website with Ards v Cliftonville kicking off at 19:45 GMT on Friday and Bangor against Dungannon Swifts kicking off at 17:30 GMT on Saturday.

Michael Clarke and Tim McCann will call the action on Friday with Thomas Kane and Paul Leeman on duty on Saturday.

We'll also have live radio coverage of Bangor v Dungannon Swifts on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds with Michael Hammond ed by Darren Murphy in the commentary box.

There will be live text updates and in-game clips from both games on the website too.

How did the clubs get this far?

Holders Cliftonville began the defence of the Irish Cup with a routine 4-0 home win against Premier Intermediate side Banbridge Rangers in the fifth round.

Jim Magilton's side required extra-time to see off fellow Premiership side Glenavon 3-2 to secure their age to the quarter-finals before Ryan Curran and Alex Parsons helped them overcome north Belfast rivals Crusaders 2-1 to book their place in the last four.

Winners in 1974, Ards caused an upset in round five by beating Premiership side Ballymena United 2-1 and then eased past Premier Intermediate outfit Moyola Park 3-1 in the next round.

In the last eight, John Bailie's side beat Premiership strugglers Loughgall 2-0 to book their first semi-final appearance since 1995.

Bangor, who won this trophy in 1993, needed extra-time to edge past Newington 2-1 in round five before easing to a 3-0 win against Annagh United in round six.

Lee Feeney's side then produced a stunning performance to knock out Glentoran in the quarter-finals.

Dungannon Swifts are the only side left in the competition who have never won it. They thrashed Rathfriland Rangers 5-0 in the fifth round before a 2-1 extra-time win over Coleraine booked a quarter-final appearance against Carrick Rangers.

Rodney McAree's side then came from behind to win that one 3-1 to seal their place in the final four.

What's their league form been like?

It would be fair to say that Cliftonville have been a cup team this year given their inconsistent league form.

The Reds won the League Cup earlier this month but they have fallen way short in the league and find themselves in the bottom six. If they can retain the Irish Cup, they'll secure all important European football for next season.

Ards have had a good Championship campaign, finishing the 'regular' season in the top half and have momentum after winning their last four league games.

It has been a dream season so far for Bangor as alongside their unlikely cup run, they are leading the way for promotion to the Premiership.

The Seasiders are top of the Championship table, eight points ahead of nearest rivals H&W Welders with five games to go.

And it's been equally impressive for Dungannon Swifts, who have combined a cup run with an impressive league campaign.

McAree's side have broken into the top six ahead of the split, sitting in fourth position and currently sit four points off Larne in the race for second and automatic qualification for European football.

Image source, Inpho

With the Gibson Cup on its way to Windsor Park, the focus for the Irish Premiership is now firmly on who can secure an automatic European spot for next season.

Finishing second to Linfield will guarantee that for one club with another spot available through the end of season play-offs.

As the race for that automatic spot heats up, BBC Sport NI will bring you the best of the action.

On Tuesday 1 April, we'll bring you live coverage of the side currently in second spot - Larne - as they travel to Dungannon Swifts on BBC iPlayer.

The final 'Big Two' game of the season will be live on BBC Two NI on Saturday 5 April with Linfield looking to put a dent in their rivals Glentoran's ambitions for that second-place finish.

On the penultimate weekend of the season, we'll bring you Linfield's visit to Larne while on Saturday 26 April you'll be able to watch Larne against Glentoran with both games again on the BBC iPlayer.

Full live coverage details

Tuesday 1 April: Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Saturday 5 April: Linfield v Glentoran (13:00 BST) - BBC Two NI

Friday 18 April: Larne v Linfield (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Saturday 26 April: Larne v Glentoran (17:30 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Image source, Inpho

The last 'Big Two' fixture of the 2024-25 Irish Premiership campaign will take place during the first weekend in April.

Champions Linfield, who beat Dungannon 3-0 in the final game before the end-of-season 'split' on Monday night, will host fierce rivals Glentoran at Windsor Park on April 4/5.

That will be one of four away games to finish the campaign for Declan Devine's men who will play their final home league game of the season at the Oval against Coleraine on 1 April.

With the league title already won by David Healy's side, and the league's bottom two, Loughgall and Carrick Rangers, cut adrift at the foot of the table in the battle to avoid the drop and the relegation play-off, perhaps the most intrigue remaining in the season surrounds the fight for the league's final automatic European spot.

Former champions Larne are currently in pole position sat second in the table, level on points with Glentoran in third.

The pair, who played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Oval this month, will meet at Inver Park on the final day of the season on 26 April.

Irish Premiership 'post-split' fixtures

1 April: Section A - Dungannon Swifts v Larne, Glentoran v Coleraine, Linfield v Crusaders.

Section B - Ballymena United v Loughgall, Carrick Rangers v Cliftonville, Portadown v Glenavon.

4/5 April: Section A - Coleraine v Dungannon Swifts, Crusaders v Larne, Linfield v Glentoran.

Section B - Carrick Rangers v Portadown, Cliftonville v Ballymena United, Glenavon v Loughgall.

11/12 April: Section A - Coleraine v Larne, Crusaders v Glentoran, Linfield v Dungannon Swifts.

Section B - Ballymena United v Carrick Rangers, Cliftonville v Glenavon, Portadown v Loughgall.

18/19 April: Section A - Crusaders v Coleraine, Dungannon Swifts v Glentoran, Larne v Linfield.

Section B - Glenavon v Ballymena United, Loughgall v Carrick Rangers, Portadown v Cliftonville.

26 April: Section A - Coleraine v Linfield, Dungannon Swifts v Crusaders, Larne v Glentoran.

Section B - Carrick Rangers v Glenavon, Loughgall v Cliftonville, Portadown v Ballymena United.

Image source, Inpho

After Coleraine beat Portadown 1-0 at the Showgrounds to sneak into the top six ahead of the Ports, BBC Sport NI got the thoughts of Bannsiders boss Dean Shiels and Ports manager Niall Currie.

Shiels on the win: "I think both teams realised there was a lot on the line especially early on for us, the first 15 minutes the size of the game got to us but then we settled and controlled the game. Our whole ethos is about finding a way to win games and that is what we did second half."

On securing top six: "I'm really proud of the players, the start of the season we knew it would be difficult, there was no continuity, we turned lots of part-time players to full-time which is not easy then we strengthened again in January so now it's just about finishing this season as strong as we can and building again for next season."

Currie on the loss: "We're disappointed but it is nowhere near the end of the world. I am extremely proud of the players; they have been magnificent this season. Today was a frustrating day for both teams, we didn't have enough quality in the last third. The fact we were sitting in this position at this time of the season is magnificent."

On the Ports' hopes for the rest of the season: "The season starts again in two weeks and we'll give it another rattle, we have four home games and one away game. There's no reason with the home record that we have that we can't push for seventh place."

Image source, Inpho

After Crusaders edged Glentoran 1-0 at the Oval to seal their place in the top six ahead of the split, BBC Sport NI caught up with Crues goal scorer Philip Lowry and Glens manager Declan Devine.

Lowry on the victory: "There was a lot at stake here today with the top six, there were a few scary moments in the first half when they had a few scrambles that might have gone in, but we rode the storm. I always knew we would get one chance and thankfully we took it. We're delighted to secure the top six."

On scoring the winning goal: "I really did enjoy the goal, I haven't scored in a long time, and it has been a difficult few weeks with going out of the Irish Cup and a few bad defeats, but we have a lot of resilient players in the group. It was a real sweet victory, now we have to look at the next five games and finish as high up as we can."

Devine on the defeat: "It was complete domination of the game without having end product. Two or three off the line and one off the bar at the end. We switched off for the goal and we got punished, it was their first shot on target of the match."

On Glentoran's recent poor run of form: "It has been a disappointing couple of weeks we can't shy away from that but there is plenty still to play for. Injuries to key personnel which has really cost us but we're still in the hunt for second spot and that's where we need to make sure we end up in a couple of weeks, we have to believe."

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter said he had "nothing to say" after an incident in his side's defeat by Cliftonville involving his goalkeeper Jack McIntyre and a ball boy.

The incident occurred in the first half as McIntyre went to retrieve the ball from a ball boy for a goal kick in an attempt to restart play quickly.

The referee did not caution McIntyre after the incident, but Cliftonville fans voiced their displeasure by booing the goalkeeper throughout the game.

Baxter did not want to comment on the incident as he did not see it at the time and had not had a chance to watch back.

"I honestly didn't see it, I heard the crowd roaring, but I didn't see any push, so I have nothing to say," he told BBC Sport NI.

Cliftonville boss Magilton also said that he did not witness the incident at the time or had a chance to look at it again.

"If he has done that then he is lucky and only he will know," he said.

"I haven't seen it back so I can't comment, but if he has put hands on the ball boy and that is the rule then he was lucky not to be sent off.

"You'll have to ask Jack McIntyre whether he laid hands on the boy or not."

The Northern Ireland Football League has been approached for comment.

Image source, Inpho

Loughgall say they have reached "an amicable agreement" with former manager Dean Smith following his recent departure from the club.

An initial statement posted on X by the Irish Premiership club on 6 March indicated that they had "parted company" with their long-serving boss "by mutual consent".

However this was contested as a statement from the JWB Consultancy said: "We represent Mr Dean Smith. Our client has not agreed to terminate his contract."

Loughgall's statement released on Wednesday night revealed that the parties had resolved their differences and were parting on good .

"Loughgall Football Club and Dean Smith have reached an amicable agreement, inclusive of a confidential financial settlement, representing a full and final resolution of all matters," the statement read.

"It is acknowledged that the statement on Thursday 6th March issued on social media by Loughgall FC was the result of internal miscommunication. This statement has now been removed.

"Loughgall FC and Dean Smith have had a successful and lengthy period working together, and now part on mutually agreeable and good , with both parties keen to draw a line under recent events.

"To that end, there will be no further comment from either party in respect of the matter which both Loughgall FC and Dean Smith consider satisfactorily closed."

Smith led Loughgall to promotion to the top flight in the 2022-23 campaign and they finished ninth in the Premiership with 13 wins last season.

This term the Villagers have struggled however and sit 12 points adrift at the foot of the table and without a league win since November.