Tag: Sports Direct Premiership
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Upset value in the Irish Cup on full display in the Fifth Round… with every chance of continuing
In the Irish Cup Sixth Round, there were three all-Premiership ties pulled out of the hat that all but confirms the amount of top-flight clubs will have at least been slashed in half from the last-32 by the time the quarter-finals roll around. League leaders Linfield will host relegation-battling Ballymena United, second-placed Larne entertain Glenavon…
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Ballymacash Rangers’ Irish Cup showdown with Glentoran pick of the last-16 ties for TV billing
When the Irish Cup Fifth Round draw was made, intermediate representation in the last-16 had already been rubber-stamped when Oxford Sunnyside of the Mid-Ulster League learned that they would face Premier Intermediate League opposition in Ballymacash Rangers. It was history in itself for The ‘Cash, who were featuring at this stage of the blue-riband 143-year-old…
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Linfield haven’t been bogged down by haves and have nots… it’s a pure winning mentality
The inevitability of Linfield Football Club strikes again. Despite key bodies being unavailable, despite the chips appearing to be down, despite the outside financial investment around them, there has never been any withering of their title ambitions. It’s the way David Healy’s team are built. They never make excuses for themselves, even in moments like…
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Implementing VAR in the Irish League could be an increasingly hard sell for supporters in 2024
So, 2023 is almost at an end and 2024 is nigh upon us. Such is the cliché, it is a time to reflect on what has come and gone, looking forward to the exciting new horizons a new year can bring. This 12-month span proved a memorable one in the Irish League, arguably capped by…
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Winter is a time of giving and receiving… and is set to play a key role in the Premiership title hunt
The January transfer window is nigh upon us, and for clubs across all levels of the Irish League set-up, it is a difference-making opportunity. Already the rumour mill swirls. Crusaders confirmed on Monday that 26-year-old attacking midfielder Ben Kennedy has been transfer-listed, piquing the interest of suitors both home and abroad as a mercurially gifted…
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The County Antrim Shield Final carries added importance for Larne and Glentoran in 2024
The County Antrim Shield showpiece in 2024 has now been rubber-stamped and, from both sides, it is a match that carries noteworthy significance. In the green corner, Glentoran, who booked their spot at Seaview a few weeks prior to their Final adversaries Larne, are on the hunt for the first trophy of Warren Feeney’s tenure…
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BetMcLean Cup’s Mid-Ulster dynamic makes for an intriguing pair of Semi-Final duels
On Tuesday night, the BetMcLean Cup semi-finals were finalised at last and we now know exactly who will compete for a spot in the prestigious decider. One side of the draw features a mouthwatering Mid-Ulster Derby at Mourneview Park, where a high-stakes tussle between Glenavon and Portadown takes centre stage and the bragging rights of…
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There’s still a place in the modern domestic game for classic punishers like Joe Gormley
As we have seen throughout the past half-decade or so, the Irish League is an ever-evolving beast and clubs must sometimes be elaborate for the sake of staying competitive. Larne and Glentoran have welcomed on board the investment of Kenny Bruce in 2017 and Ali Pour in 2019 that has allowed both clubs to adopt…
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