Irish League Football

Image source, Inpho

Irish Premiership leaders Larne will play either Glentoran or Drumaness Mills in the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup next month.

The Inver Reds have been runners-up six times in the competition without ever lifting the trophy, but advanced to the last eight thanks to a 2-0 win away to Warrenpoint Town on Saturday.

Glentoran were due to take on Drumaness Mills at the Oval in the sixth round but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

The game will now take place on 17 February with the winners hosting Larne on either Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March.

Holders Dungannon Swifts, who came from behind to beat Portadown in the sixth round, will host Harland and Wolff Welders in the last eight with the east Belfast side having eased past Gary Hamilton's Ballymacash Rangers on Saturday.

Limavady United's reward for beating Premiership champions Linfield on Friday night will be a home quarter-final against Coleraine who required extra time to advance past Carrick on Saturday.

Cliftonville, Irish Cup winners in 2024, will travel to Loughgall in the last eight after Jonny Addis' sweetly struck free-kick deep into injury time saw them knock out Glenavon in the sixth round.

Loughgall came through the only all-Championship tie of the sixth round when they beat Institute 2-1.

Irish Cup quarter-final draw

Dungannon Swifts v Harland and Wolff Welders

Glentoran or Drumaness Mills v Larne

Limavady United v Coleraine

Loughgall v Cliftonville

Ties to be played Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March

More on this story

Image source, Presseye

Limavady United manager Paul Owens says Friday night's Irish Cup sixth round tie against Linfield at the Coleraine Showgrounds represents "a welcome distraction" for his side.

The game between the Championship pacesetters and the Premiership champions will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and on the BBC Sport website and app.

Owens' side sit five points clear at the top of the second tier of Northern Ireland domestic football as they chase promotion to the top division.

The Roesiders claimed a major scalp in last year's competition by defeating Larne in the fifth round.

"We can go into the game with no pressure and just enjoy the occasion," the Limavady boss told BBC Sport NI.

"I've watched them [Linfield] a couple of games and I've told the players that it's a welcome distraction. We can forget about the league for a week, park it."

Blues manager David Healy is wary of being on the wrong end of an upset at the last-16 stage and says there will be no complacency from his team.

"Paul has an experienced team and they are going well in the league," he reflected.

"They'll make it difficult for us but we've had them watched and will prepare as best we can and hopefully try and progress to the next round of the Irish Cup."

The most recent of Linfield's record 44 Irish Cup successes came in 2021 when they defeated Larne 2-1 in the final.

Joel Bell
BBC Sport NI

Image source, Inpho

Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann said his players were "playing for the jersey" in Tuesday's 2-1 BetMcLean Cup semi-final win.

Pat Hoban opened the scoring for the Glens but his goal was cancelled out by Joel Cooper's second-half equaliser.

Jordan Jenkins then scored the winner during extra time to help his side progress to the final, where they will face Linfield on Sunday, 15 March.

''It was two fantastic teams battling it out. Coleraine are a top top team, we knew it was going to be very difficult. It was a heavy pitch and the crowd got really behind us,'' McCann told BBC Sport NI.

''If you're looking for grit and determination and players playing for the jersey, our players gave everything they had in their body and I thought we deserved to win.''

Hoban has found the back of the net 20 times in all competitions this season for the Glens and McCann was pleased that he and fellow forward Jenkins could make such telling contributions as the east Belfast side reached a second successive BetMcLean Cup final.

''Pat's [Hoban] been doing that every week. He's very dangerous, fox in the box. It's great to see JJ [Jordan Jenkins] on the scoresheet," McCann added.

''JJ always pops up with important goals and has done for this club for many years. I hope he keeps a couple for the final.''

Image source, Inpho

Women's Premiership quartet Cliftonville, Glentoran, Linfield and Lisburn Rangers have discovered their All-Island Cup group stage opponents.

The annual cross-border competition, which is in it's fourth year, brings together 12 teams from the Women's Premier Division and four teams from the Women's Premiership.

The draw for the group stage, where the 16 teams are split into four groups, was made at the Northern Ireland Football League headquarters on Wednesday.

Linfield have been drawn in Group One alongside Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers and holders Wexford.

Lisburn Rangers are in Group Two with two-time winners Galway United, DLR Waves and Peamount United.

Cliftonville, who won the Challenge Cup and League Cup last season, will take on Athlone Town, Cork City and Treaty United in Group Three.

Women's Premiership champions Glentoran are in Group Four with Bohemians, Shelbourne and Waterford.

Fixtures are still to be confirmed, but the first round of group games will take place on Saturday, 4 April.

The four group winners and four second place sides will progress to the quarter-finals which will be held on the weekend of 13-14 June.

The semi-finals will take place on the weekend of 27-28 June with the final scheduled for Saturday, 18 July.

All-Island Cup groups:

Group One: Linfield, Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers, Wexford

Group Two: Lisburn Rangers, Galway United, DLR Waves, Peamount United

Group Three: Cliftonville, Athlone Town, Cork City, Treaty United

Group Four: Glentoran, Bohemians, Shelbourne, Waterford

Image source, Press Eye

Larne boss Gary Haveron says his team showed "class and quality" in defeating Ballymena United 2-1 in the Irish Cup.

Paul O'Neill fired home a Larne opener and Success Edogun's stunning strike brought United level before Leroy Millar hit the winner at the Showgrounds.

"Our boys showed real resilience, especially when they pegged us back at 1-1," said Haveron.

"Ballymena came out of the traps quickly at the start of the second half and got their goal.

"But we showed our class and quality with the second goal that we scored.

"The breakaway, a great ball in from Tomas [Cosgrove] and Leroy does what he's been doing for the last three to four years.

"It was a great finish from him and I'm delighted to see him get on the end of it."

Larne's reward is an away tie against Warrenpoint Town in the sixth round.

Watch highlights as Carrick Rangers come from behind to beat Bangor 3-2 in the Irish Premiership at Taylors Avenue.

You can read the report from the game here

Don't forget to follow all of our Irish Premiership coverage on our dedicated Irish League Football page

Image source, Inpho and Getty Images

Ballymena United have completed the deadline day signing of former Glentoran and Larne midfielder Fuad Sule from Indonesian club Peris Solo.

The 29-year-old won an Irish Premiership title during his time with Larne, where he spent five seasons before joining Glentoran in 2023.

The Dublin native then won the County Antrim Shield in 2025 with the east Belfast side before departing as a free agent last summer.

He has also had spells with St Patrick's Athletic, Bohemians and Barnet.

Glentoran were also busy on deadline day as they added winger Josh Daniels to their squad on a long-term deal.

The 29-year-old previously featured for hometown club Derry City and Glenavon before earning a move to Shrewsbury Town in 2020.

He then joined Welsh side The New Saints in 2022 where he won three league titles, two Welsh Cups and two Welsh League Cups.

Daniels had his contract mutually terminated by the club to allow him to return to Northern Ireland for family reasons.

"Coming home was really important for me and my family and when the opportunity to join Glentoran came up it felt like the right time and the right club," he told Glentoran's website.

"This is one of the biggest clubs on the island of Ireland and one I've played against many times over the years. They'd shown an interest in me before I moved to Shrewbury Town and again during my time away, so I'm delighted everything has finally come together."

Elsewhere, Cliftonville made three deadline day signings as they brought in striker Adam Carroll from Warrenpoint Town, goalkeeper Zach Balfour from Annan Athletic and midfielder Josh Kelly on loan from Glentoran.

Bangor completed the permanent signing of Oisin Devlin, who was on loan at the Seasiders from Larne, while Crusaders signed defender Scot Rough from Scottish League Two side Stranraer.