Glentoran stay top as Reds, Blues and Lisburn Rangers win
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
NIFL Charity Shield - all you need to know
In recent years, the NIFL Charity Shield has been re-established as part of Northern Ireland's domestic football calendar and this season it will be contested by Irish Premiership winners Linfield and Irish Cup victors Dungannon Swifts who meet at Windsor Park on Friday night. In common with its English counterpart, the game was traditionally held as a curtain-raiser to the new Irish League 2023 however the fixture has been used as preparation for clubs to prepare for their impending participation in European club are targeting a fifth Charity Shield success in this year's edition (19:45 BST) while the Swifts are taking part in the match for the first time as they attempt to add more silverware to their can follow live text commentary of the game on the BBC Sport website. Successful seasons Linfield secured their place in this year's Charity Shield by emphatically lifting the Gibson Cup for a record-extending 57th Blues built an unassailable lead before the five sets of post-split fixtures and finished 22 points ahead of second-placed finishers south Belfast side go into the game boosted by the news that manager David Healy has signed a three-year extension to his contract as followed up their hugely impressive fourth-place finish in the Premiership by collecting the Irish Cup for the first time in their early-May decider with holders Cliftonville ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, but Rodney McAree's side prevailed 4-3 in a penalty shootout. NI Charity Shield history The NI Charity Shield has been contested periodically since its inauguration in 1992 and this will be the 14th Linfield's 2-0 win over Glentoran in front of a crowd of 10,500 in August 2000, it would be another 14 years before the fixture was Glentoran, Glenavon and Linfield collected the trophy between 2014 and 2017, before another five-year hiatus until the 2022 beat Linfield 2-0 at Windsor Park on that match was moved to early July and played at Inver Park in the subsequent two years, Crusaders retaining the Shield by defeating Larne 2-0 in 2023 and then the Invermen seeing off Cliftonville 2-1 last year. European preparation Five days after the Charity Shield encounter, Linfield begin their Champions League campaign with a first qualifying round, first-leg tie against League of Ireland champions Shelbourne at Tolka Park in Dublin on Wednesday 9 sides will meet in the second leg at Windsor Park in Belfast on 16 July, with both matches being broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport winners of the tie will face Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the second qualifying round, with the losers dropping into the Conference League qualifying second round where they will play the defeated side between FK Zalgiris of Lithuania and Hamrun Spartans of Irish Cup winners, Dungannon Swifts go straight into the second qualifying round where they will take on Liechtenstein side FC Vaduz in their first European fixture in 18 Stangmore Park outfit will be away for the first leg on Thursday 24 July and at home for the second leg on 31 two Charity Shield participants are scheduled to meet again on the first weekend of the new Irish Premiership season. Summer signings During the close season to date, Linfield have added defender Sean Brown to their ranks while Joel Cooper and Stephen Fallon have departed for Coleraine, Darragh McBrien has returned to Dungannon and Ethan Devine left to join H&W addition to the arrival of forward McBrien, additions to the Dungannon squad so far include Mal Smith from Crusaders, Peter Maguire from Ballinamallard United and Tiernan Kelly from Curry has retired and forward John McGovern completed his long-mooted move to Irish Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers. What they say Linfield defender Euan East: "Spirits are high in the camp and we want to get going again and try to retain what we did last year."It's good to get into a competitive game so quickly. You need that competitive edge to a game that that will give us. It's a good way to start the season."Dungannon always give you a hard game and we know they will always be up for it."Dungannon winger Thomas Maguire: "It's a bit of a bonus having this game to look forward to. It's not a friendly, there's something to play for against good opposition on a good pitch with something on the line."Everyone is looking forward to the game and then just kicking on and hopefully it will stand us in good stead for Europe."
Wales Online
17 hours ago
- Wales Online
Swansea City closing in on move for Ethan Galbraith after fee agreed
Swansea City closing in on move for Ethan Galbraith after fee agreed The midfielder is believed to be close to agreeing a move to SA1 Ethan Galbraith is close to completing a move to Swansea City (Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images. ) Swansea City are closing in on a move for Leyton Orient midfielder Ethan Galbraith. Sources close to the deal have told WalesOnline that a fee of around £1.6million has been agreed with the League One outfit, and it's believed he's now highly likely to become Swansea's fifth signing of the summer. Swansea insiders have insisted the deal hasn't yet progressed to that point, but it's understood they are hopeful of getting it over the line, and it seems a move is close to fruition. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here. Galbraith has been on the radar for some time, and was the subject of a failed £750,000 bid on deadline day, but interest from the Swans had initially cooled this summer. They had even sourced several alternatives, including Israeli star Gabi Kanichowsky. That interest is not expected to be taken in any further in light of this move, with Galbraith understood to be keen on making the move to south Wales. However, their search for midfield reinforcements has led them back to the Northern Irishman, who was also heavily linked with Huddersfield Town and Charlton Athletic this summer. Article continues below It's claimed Galbraith is now expected to sign a four-year deal with the Swans, and should he sign he will follow on from Cameron Burgess, Ricardo Santos, Bobby Wales and Zeidane Inoussa in making the move to SA1 this summer. Melker Widell has also joined up with the Swans squad for the first time since making his move in January, having spent the second half of last season back on loan at AaB. Galbraith was a stand-out star for Orient under Richie Wellens last season, making 42 appearances in League One and scoring six goals, adding seven assists also notched. He's also capable of slotting in at right-back, which may well have added to his appeal with Swans chiefs, who have struck a deal with the O's with Galbraith having one year left on his contract at the BetWright Stadium. The midfielder arrives on the back of some rave reviews throughout his career. While coming through with Manchester United , ex-Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough described him as Northern Ireland's very own "Andres Iniesta or Xavi". 'Ethan, over the last six months we've seen a maturity in his play and the way he goes about his work day to day," Baraclough said of the youngster. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone. "He's excelled with the under-21s and he's a different type of player to anyone we've got in the senior squad. Not to put too much pressure on his shoulders, but he's our little (Andres) Iniesta or Xavi, someone who can get on the ball and manipulate the ball and find positive passes. "Hopefully it's the start of a long career for him. Hopefully he relishes his time from the start in this squad, rather than coming in from the under-21 squad. Article continues below "He has earned his right with the way he has gone about his play for the last six months."
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Former Larne and Linfield title winner joins Championship club: ‘He's a massive addition'
Former Larne and Linfield defender Albert Watson will play beyond his 40th birthday after signing a one-year deal with Playr-Fit Championship club Armagh City.
