Irish League Football

Image source, Inpho

Irish Premiership side Glenavon have confirmed a proposed investment from Football International Limited has been completed.

In January, the Lurgan Blues announced they had entered a "strategic partnership" with the English-based consortium, who will acquire a majority shareholding in the club through a "staged investment programme" over five years.

The deal has now been signed off by shareholders and sees Cathal Morrison, Alberto Valdes, Michael Stephens, and Christopher Parry join the board of directors with immediate effect.

According to Glenavon's statement issued on Friday, they will work alongside existing leadership to support the club both strategically and operationally going forward.

Glenavon chairman Warren McCleary said the deal would "secure the financial future of the club" and bring in expertise that would "improve the performance of every aspect" of the club.

"The club have been exploring the option of external investment for some time, and we believe we have found the perfect investment partner," read the statement.

"We are really excited to have completed this deal with Football International Limited."

Morrison, one of the new directors, has previously worked in scouting positions at West Ham and was a director for Altrincham between 2020 and 2022.

"As a multi-national group with partners spread across Europe and North America, we fully recognise the deep history and pride associated with Glenavon Football Club and Northern Irish football in general," he said.

"Our intention is to protect that history going forward, support the club in measured and responsible ways, and build a legacy together."

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Both Irish Cup semi-finals will be live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website as holders Dungannon Swifts face Cliftonville and Larne take on Coleraine.

On Friday, 3 April (19:45 BST) it is a repeat of last year's final with defending champions Dungannon playing Cliftonville as both sides aim to make back-to-back finals.

Irish Premiership leaders Larne face Coleraine on Saturday, 4 April (15:00 BST) for the second spot in the 2 May showpiece.

Both games will be played at Windsor Park.

Larne were the first team to book their spot in the last four with a penalty shootout victory over Glentoran last week.

Rodney McAree's Swifts defeated Championship outfit H&W Welders as 2024 winners Cliftonville overcame Loughgall to remain on track for a third successive final appearance.

In the other quarter-final, Coleraine beat Limavady United thanks to goals from Joel Cooper and Matthew Shevlin.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton said that substitute Joe Gormely "had a feeling" before being introduced and scoring a 93rd minute winner against rivals Crusaders at Seaview.

The Reds dominated against the Crues but struggled to find a way past Musa Dibaga until additional time when Hale's free-kick eventually found substitute Gormley, who fired home.

Cliftonville are now unbeaten in four games in all competitions as Declan Caddell's side registered their fourth defeat in a row.

"It has to land to him and because of his prolific goalscoring record, it couldn't have fallen to a better person than Joe," Magilton told BBC Sport NI.

"Gerard [Lyttle] and Joe had a feeling, so we got him on the pitch and it is a great finish."

"Mr [Jonny] Addis is claiming he got a touch as well and listen, if you are going to win a game, it is the way to win a game and we are all delighted."

However, Crusaders manager Caddell was bemused with the late goal and believes that Addis did get a touch on Gormley's effort and was in an offside position.

The result means that the Crues remain three points ahead of the Lurgan Blues in 12th position with the sides playing each other this Saturday.

"I thought the work ethic and hunger was there and the fight was there. We may have lacked a bit of quality," Caddell said.

"It is a sore one to take in the 93rd minute. An offside goal at that, that is just salt in the wound."

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Glentoran manager Declan Devine said he was left to rue a "sore" defeat against Larne in the Irish Cup on penalties, which he believed was down to "big decisions" from the referee that went against his side.

The Glens took the lead in the quarter-final through Cammy Palmer before Andy Ryan levelled in the second half for Larne.

MJ Kamson Kamara was then sent off just before the end of normal time after picking up a second yellow card which Devine said had a "huge bearing" on the outcome of the game as Rohan Ferguson saved all three of the Glens' penalties.

"It's a painful one, fine margins in the game, big calls and from where I was, I thought we had a good case for a penalty from a handball and I don't think the two yellow card were yellow cards," he told BBC Sport NI.

"On the back of a third game in six days, to go down to 10 men, I thought the players were magnificent, running on empty with a real high level of commitment, it's really sore to take and there are big decisions that have gone against us and as a result we have gone to penalties and our penalties were poor, we know that, but they were taken with a lot of fatigue.

"I don't think we got what we deserved. We come away talking about big decisions that have gone against us and I'm sick of it."

Devine said Kamson Kamara was shown the first yellow card for simulation and he then received his marching orders for a tackle on Ryan which the Glens boss thought was harsh.

"I believe he's won the ball on the second one, I don't think it's a foul. People are diving all night so why's that a yellow card and the rest of the dives aren't, I don't even think it was a dive," he added.

"We have to use the pain of the defeat to move forward in the coming weeks."