Author: Lewis Bennett
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Glentoran’s eggs all in Irish Cup basket… that can work to their advantage against Linfield
After navigating a potentially tricky Irish Cup quarter-final against spirited Ballyclare Comrades in a professional manner, Glentoran are marching on in the Irish Cup and hungry to win it. As the only one of the remaining quartet in the tournament whose Sports Direct Premiership title chances are realistically dead and buried, it’s significant for the…
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Why Cliftonville’s latest quest for Irish Cup glory draws so much from success of 1979
Cliftonville are within touching distance of the Irish Cup Final – a sound that sets alarm bells ringing more than anything these days. The Reds’ progression in Ireland’s oldest footballing cup competition, of which they are a founder member and have won eight times but only once since 1909, is akin to an ambitious mountain…
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More than meets the eye behind quartet of Premiership vs Championship Irish Cup ties
The Sports Direct Premiership is on pause for a weekend and the Clearer Water Irish Cup is at the centre of attentions as the top-flight’s leading four each face clashes of a different kind. NI Football League CEO Gerard Lawlor has previously put on record his vision of a so-called ‘weekend of football’ stretching from…
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Play-Off success inspires belief that calm and collected Tanya Oxtoby can take NI forward
Although it wasn’t a display that always ebbed and flowed, Northern Ireland’s place in League B of the Women’s Nations League is secure following Tuesday night’s play-off second leg. Entering the two-legged series against Montenegro knowing that victory was essential to avoid the drop into League C of the competition, most of the groundwork, as…
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Rise of future stars like Lewis Barr ensures Crusaders set up nicely for post-Baxter era
It will be a summer of seismic change at Crusaders knowing that two of the club’s all-time greats will depart – but with a new era soon dawning, not all change will come with apprehension. After 19 years, Stephen Baxter will exit the Seaview hotseat as the Crues’ most iconic figure, while one of his…
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Larne have played January market to a tee and will keep competitive edge because of it
At the start of the winter window of 2024, I wrote on this site that January would play a key role in deciding who would emerge as Sports Direct Premiership champions come the close of the season. Larne took that notion to heart on Friday night, and it is no surprise that they are in…
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Back-to-back victories inspire brighter days for Moyola Park after battling third-tier drop
A month makes a big difference in football – a statement that’s rung true for Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League basement battler Moyola Park. February started with a whimper for the Castledawson club with defeats to the two main sides around them, but what followed were a couple of results that have painted a contrastingly different…
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In-form Annagh United saving their best for last… and could still make their Play-Off say
The Playr-Fit Championship never disappoints – and twists in the title race weren’t the only piece on the agenda this weekend. At the summit, Dundela succumbed to a heavy defeat that invited those among the chasing pack to close the gap; an opportunity taken gleefully by all three of their closest challengers. A simultaneous 4-0…
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