Irish League Football

Image source, Presseye

Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins is relishing Saturday's final day of the Premiership season with the Bannsiders one of three sides in the hunt for the title.

Larne lead the way, three points clear of Coleraine and the Glens so a draw against Dungannon Swifts would be enough to secure the Gibson Cup.

But if Larne lose then it opens the door for the chasing duo, who meet at the Showgrounds in what could become a title decider.

Coleraine moved up to second on Saturday as they chalked up a fifth straight league win thanks to a 3-0 victory over Linfield at Windsor Park.

It's also now just one defeat in their last 13 Premiership games for the Irish Cup finalists.

"From early January we've been on a fantastic run in all competitions and we just want to keep that momentum going," said Higgins.

"It's a home game and our home form has been exceptional this season. It's a big game for both clubs and mathematically Larne are not champions so it makes for an interesting day.

"I think it's brilliant for the league and I think the league has been ultra competitive this season.

"I think it's going to keep on improving year on year."

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Rohan Ferguson, Pat Hoban and Matt Ridley have been shortlisted for Player of the Year at the upcoming Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association awards on Sunday, 3rd May.

Larne stopper Ferguson has recorded 23 clean sheets, while teammate Ridley has played a major role in Larne's solidity in defence.

Striker Hoban has netted an impressive 31 goals in 38 appearances this season for Glentoran.

The Glens also feature in the Women's Player of the Year nominees with Jess Foy and Nadene Caldwell shortlisted after helping their side win the Premiership title. Cliftonville's Teegan Lynch is also nominated after a successful season for the Reds.

Larne's Gary Haveron, Glentoran's Declan Devine, and Coleraine's Ruaidhri Higgins have all been nominated for the Manager of the Year with all sides still able to clinch the Gibson Cup heading into the final round of fixtures.

In the Young Player of the Year award, Crusaders Josh Williamson and Fraser Bryden have been nominated after impressing during a difficult season for the north Belfast side. 20-year-old MJ Kamson-Kamara has also been shortlisted following a strong season in Glentoran's defence.

Championship winners Limavady United's captain Stephen Lowry and forward John Butcher are both nominated for Championship Player of the Year, alongside Annagh United midfielder Jack Henderson.

In addition, two Northern Ireland players will be inducted into the Dr Malcolm Brodie Hall of Fame at the ceremony.

Award Nominees:

Player of the Year: Rohan Ferguson (Larne), Patrick Hoban (Glentoran), Matt Ridley (Larne)

Women's Player of the Year: Nadene Caldwell (Glentoran), Jess Foy (Glentoran), Teegan Lynch (Cliftonville)

Manager of the Year: Declan Devine (Glentoran), Gary Haveron (Larne), Ruaidhri Higgins (Coleraine)

Young Player of the Year: Fraser Bryden (Crusaders), MJ Kamson-Kamara (Glentoran), Josh Williamson (Crusaders)

Championship Player of the Year: John Butcher (Limavady United), Jack Henderson (Annagh United), Stephen Lowry (Limavady United)

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David Jeffrey will make a return to management after being appointed as the next full-time boss at Portadown.

Jeffrey, who departed Ballymena United in 2023, will take over at the end of the season from interim boss Gary Thompson who stepped in following the departure of Niall Currie earlier this month.

The 63-year-old will be joined by David Douglas who comes in as head of recruitment and football operations, having previously worked as performance analyst under Currie from 2023 until 2025.

Jeffrey has enjoyed success in his previous roles at Linfield and Ballymena United, initially taking over at Windsor Park in 1997 following a 14-year playing career with Linfield, Ards and Larne.

He guided the Blues to nine league titles, seven Irish Cups which included six league and cup doubles, while also claiming the inaugural Setanta Cup in 2005 before bringing his 17-year tenure to a close in 2014.

Following a two-year hiatus, he was back in the dugout at the Ballymena Showgrounds, guiding the Sky Blues to their first and only League Cup success in his first season, while leading them to second place in the league in 2019.

During his time, he also led the club to two further League Cup finals, three Irish Cup finals and two County Antrim Shield finals before stepping down in 2023.

Jeffrey will take over at the conclusion of this campaign with Thompson in charge for this Saturday's final league game against Bangor.

Analysis - A bold approach from Portadown

Image source, Inpho

BBC Sport NI's Andy Gray

It is some coup by Portadown to bring one of the biggest names in Irish League football to Shamrock Park.

The trend for clubs in recent years has been to give a new generation of managers a go, but Portadown have opted for the other end of the experience scale.

Niall Currie had a solid year and his departure was met by some surprise amongst the fan base, and in that sense it is a bit of a gamble for Portadown to place their trust in a manager who has been out of the game for three years.

But you only have to look at Jeffrey's CV to see what he can bring to a football club.

He was a serial winner at Linfield with 31 trophies in a 17-year spell at Windsor Park.

While his sole trophy with Ballymena came in the form of the League Cup in 2017, he did guide the club to three Irish Cup finals in the space of four years, but all ended in defeat.

Their best finish of second in the league in 2019 has also yet to be matched since. In fact, in four more years under Jeffrey and the following campaigns with Jim Ervin and Oran Kearney, the Sky Blues have yet to break back into the top half.

Away from the football, it can only be a good thing to have one of the biggest personalities in the Irish League back in the dugout, and having a full pre-season to prepare will allow Jeffrey to place his stamp on the club as they look to progress in the new campaign.

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The two games that could decide the Irish Premiership champions on Saturday will be streamed on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website.

Larne need one point against Dungannon Swifts at Inver Park to secure their third Gibson Cup in four years.

Sitting three points behind Gary Haveron's side, Coleraine and Glentoran are primed to capitalise if Larne slip up, and they face each other at the Showgrounds.

That game will also have implications European places as second in the league is guaranteed an automatic place in the qualifiers for next season's competition.

Ruaidhri Higgins' Colerane currently hold second on goal difference ahead of Glentoran, and the game will also have implications for European qualification.

The side who is in second will automatically qualify for Europe next season, and the Bannsiders also have the fallback of the Irish Cup final on 2 May, as they take on Dungannon Swifts in the decider.

Both games kick off at 17:30 BST, and you can watch both across BBC Sport - on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website from 17:15 BST.

You can also listen to both matches on BBC Sounds and on BBC Radio Ulster with coverage starting at 17:00 BST, as well as follow live updates and goal clips from all six matches on the BBC Sport app and website.

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Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says his club has to consider their own interests first as they prepare to face Larne in Saturday's Irish Premiership game which could decide the destination of the league title.

Larne need one point from the encounter at Inver Park on the final day of the regular season to be sure of a third league title in four years, while the Swifts are building up to the following week's Irish Cup final against Coleraine.

Second-placed Coleraine and Glentoran, who sit third, also harbour hopes of lifting the Gibson Cup as they trail the leaders by three points, the Bannsiders boasting the superior goal difference of the two by three.

Dungannon, who will finish in sixth position in the standings, have lost eight of their last nine league games.

"We have to prepare as best we can for an Irish Cup final and if that means certain people who are the wrong side of 30 and have had a lot of game time, and have little niggles here and there, we have to wrap them up and look after ourselves first and foremost," McAree told BBC Sport NI.

"Obviously there will be ones we'll not want to take chances with but we have to prepare properly for Larne and ultimately that will be good preparation for the Irish Cup final.

"We have to focus on the Larne match and we have to make sure that everybody is as well prepared as possible for the final."

The Dungannon boss added that while they will have one eye very much on the showpiece decider at Windsor Park on 2 May, his side will give of their all in the upcoming league encounter against the top flight pacesetters.

"Nobody will be allowed to take their foot off the gas. Nobody will be allowed to go to Inver Park and think that it's a formality, or we are there just to make up the numbers.

"We don't have a big enough squad to rotate and rest everybody. We'll have a look at the start of the week, how everyone is feeling, how the niggles are."

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Limavady United secured promotion to the Irish Premiership and the Championship title after overcoming Annagh United 2-0 in Saturday's top-two tussle at the BMG Arena.

United needed to avoid defeat to finish as champions and with it promotion to the Premiership.

John Butcher was Limavady's hero with the striker bagging a double.

Butcher slotted home the opener on 14 minutes from a penalty after Annagh's Ross Redman was sent off for handball.

After seeing an effort go over the bar Butcher sealed the win late in the game, finishing after being set-up by Alfie Gaston.

The Roesiders will have top-flight football to look forward next season while Annagh will be hoping to achieve the same when they come up against Crusaders in the promotion/relegation play-off.

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Crusaders manager Declan Caddell says his players have been "exceptional" after the 1-0 victory over Glenavon in Saturday's relegation showdown at Mourneview Park.

The Crues went into the game two points clear of the Lurgan Blues in the penultimate round of fixtures.

Fraser Bryden volleyed home in the second half to ensure a play-off place for the Crues while Glenavon drop to the Championship.

Crusaders have hit form at just the right time, with a last-gasp draw against Bangor and 4-0 victory over Portadown seeing them move off the bottom above Glenavon before Saturday's crucial win.

"It's good to get the win - it's a relief," said Caddell.

"It's been a tough season for us. We dug ourselves into a hole but the way the players have responded in the past couple of weeks has been exceptional.

"So today were we at out best? No, we were miles off it but it wasn't the type of game to get the ball down and play.

"There was so much at stake, it was nervy and credit to Glenavon, they threw everything at us.

"But we managed to get our noses in front and defended soundly for the rest of the game. I'm happy."