Author: Lewis Bennett
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Larne’s County Antrim Shield four-peat perfect tonic to fuel their domestic treble ambitions
A fresh County Antrim Shield campaign began in September 2023 with a burning question: who will be the team to finally knock Larne off their winners’ perch? At the end of the latest edition of a historic competition, that question remains unanswered. The Invermen still can’t be beaten – not even the stormy weather conditions…
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Tiernan Lynch and Larne will keep reaping the rewards of going all-in for County Antrim Shield
The County Antrim Shield’s unfortunate reduced status in the matchday calendar has come as a result of an evolution of priorities in the Irish League. With full-time football and increased professionalism, European money has been considered much more of the essence among those dining at the top table during the past half-decade. Those lucrative spots…
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County Antrim Shield Final is more than just a revenge mission for Warren Feeney’s Glentoran
The first piece of silverware this season is up for grabs, and while the County Antrim Shield has come to be considered the littlest brother of Northern Ireland’s four senior honours, trophies of all kinds count for much – and this is no exception. In a repeat of the 2020/21 Final, when Larne clinched the…
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Oft-unsung Ronan Doherty is ready to rise out of Chris Gallagher’s shadow at Cliftonville
It was an eventful week that ended in a flourish for Cliftonville, who continue to put their title credentials on show despite the seemingly incessant rumours linking their stars with moves away in January and the summer. The drawn-out saga over one such, Chris Gallagher, finally met an end when the midfielder’s exit to Larne…
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Callum Marshall’s senior West Ham debut cherry on top of a week of dreams for club’s NI cohort
It’s been a tremendous couple of weeks for the Irish League-bred cohort of youngsters at West Ham United, with a cherry on top arriving in midweek. On Tuesday night, there was a long-awaited first-team debut for striker Callum Marshall in the Hammers’ 1-0 FA Cup Third Round defeat at Bristol City. Despite being unable to…
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Free-flowing new boys Rathfriland on track to establish themselves in Irish League long-term
A Friday night showdown takes place at Iveagh Park between two clubs with contrastingly differing lengths of historical archive in the NI Football League. Lisburn Distillery, one of the oldest football clubs on the island of Ireland, will face Irish League first-timers Rathfriland in the Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League. Two clubs nicknamed the Whites, the…
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Momentum is the key theme as BetMcLean Cup Semi-Final double-header tees up tasty decider
Another BetMcLean Cup showpiece has been determined after the two semi-finals reached their conclusions during the week. Surviving overnight rain and frost to take place as scheduled, the premise of a last-four clash is based on being cold-blooded when your chances come along – and while neither encounter may not live too long in the…
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Big battle between in-form Bangor and league-leading Dundela set to be a day of decision
Last weekend’s Championship action saw a curious results slate – and even by the typically atypical nature of the second-flight that has become its unique selling point, it made for even more intriguing reading than normal. For the first time this campaign, not a single home win was recorded from the standard six-game Saturday itinerary.…
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