Tag: Stephen McDonnell
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Principled Loughgall’s fantastic season down to spirit, trust and honesty in themselves
Dean Smith didn’t pull any punches at the weekend when reflecting on the pre-season perception of his newly-promoted Loughgall outfit. “If you’d have read every report the week before the season started, every single person had us tipped to go down – and straight down,” he said. “Probably with five games to go, they had…
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Larne and Linfield’s six-hits keep heat on at top… and Jordan Stewart’s return can boost Blues
There’s no stopping Linfield and Larne at the top of the table, with both sides barely breaking a sweat on their way to comprehensively hitting their visitors for six at the weekend. The Blues swatted away the challenge of Newry City at Windsor Park but they were matched goal for goal by the Invermen, who…
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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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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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Ballymena United and Newry City would be wise to trust their first-time bosses through the hard times and good
2023 is coming to a close and, among other things, it will be remembered as a year when some Irish League managerial dynasties met their ends. Six or seven months ago, these long-serving tenures were still in place at clubs like Ballymena United, Newry City and Glenavon – but the picture has changed since. Most…
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