Stacked sport section this week

Transfers, match winners, and Cup finals, It's been a busy week for sport across the Borough.

As usual, starting from the back page, Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins says it would be “fantastic” to lead the Bannsiders into a Bet McLean Cup final in his first season, but insists the focus remains firmly on Wednesday night’s semi-final clash with Glentoran at The Oval. It will be Coleraine’s first return to the venue since a dramatic 2–1 defeat just before Christmas, with Higgins expecting a tough test on a heavy pitch as both sides look to book their place in the final.

Derry were well below their best at Croke Park against Meath while a young Tyrone team drew at home against 14 men Kildare. Expect Tyrone to have some of their injured players back while Derry may have the services of Ryan Scullion and Lachlan Murray included in their selected 15. The Tyrone manager Malachy O’Rourke - who took Glen to high success in his four year tenure - knows the Derry players inside out and he is as good as an extra man for the Red Hands. Derry looked very flat last Saturday in a game battered by high winds and lashing rain.

Football

Attention briefly turned back to league matters on Friday night as Coleraine kept pace in the title race with a 2–0 win over Glenavon at The Showgrounds, with Joel Cooper opening the scoring before Jamie McGonigle sealed the points late on. Despite the margin, Glenavon caused problems throughout, and Higgins admitted his side were not at their best but was pleased to come away with all three points ahead of the midweek cup test.

The ongoing debate around Friday night fixtures resurfaced following the game, with Glenavon boss Michael O’Connor again highlighting the difficulties faced by part-time teams, while Higgins pointed to the financial and attendance benefits. Limavady United manager Paul Owens also weighed in ahead of their Irish Cup tie with Linfield, stressing the impact reduced crowds can have on smaller clubs.

January transfer movement also continued, with Coleraine confirming the departure of defender Adam Long by mutual consent, while Sam McClintock completed a permanent move to Limavady United. Midfielder Ronan Doherty has also left The Showgrounds to join Larne at Inver Park.

Limavady United strengthened their grip at the top of the Championship with a dominant 5–0 home win over Armagh City, as Mikhail Kennedy struck inside 30 seconds before substitute Ian Parkhill netted a second-half hat-trick, with John Butcher adding a fifth. Limavady now turn their focus to tonight’s North West Senior Cup final against Strabane Athletic before a league trip to Warrenpoint Town.

GAA

Derry began their National Football League Division Two campaign with a narrow defeat at Croke Park as Meath edged a 0–19 to 1–13 victory, despite a Paul Cassidy goal and a promising opening spell from the Oak Leafers. A series of Meath two-pointers proved decisive, with Derry now looking to respond quickly as the promotion race develops.

It was a more difficult afternoon for Derry’s hurlers in Division Two of the National League, as Kerry ran out convincing 5–23 to 0–12 winners at Celtic Park, with the visitors taking control early on in a division that is expected to be particularly demanding. Derry’s Under-20 hurlers were also in action on Friday night, narrowly losing out to Tyrone at Celtic Park after the visitors snatched victory late in an entertaining contest.

Golf

The Winter League continued at Rathmore Golf Club, with Russell Dunlop topping Section One on 33 points, a round which included a hole-in-one at the 18th, while Alastair Turkington led Division Two and Jim Nixon claimed top spot in Division Three after another competitive weekend of action. And in Ballycastle Golf Club, a total of £5,279.91 was raised for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland during the Captain’s Year of Gerard Norwood and Bernie Hegarty, with the club thanking members and supporters for their generosity in backing a vital life-saving service.

General

Knockout squash at Railway Road will feature as a regular means of challenging one another to gain table position, after a promising turnout on Saturday 17 January. Opening matches were drawn and the results of which populated two divisions; one each for winners and losers. Three matches were played to establish this and now the stage is set for round robin matches between eight players who travelled from from Limavady, Ballykelly, Ballymena Portstewart, Garvagh and Coleraine.

Matches will feature at Coleraine imminently and a tally of results will develop over the next two weeks for table position.
This is a first for Coleraine Leisure Centre, playing host to organised local competitive squash.
If all goes to plan this fun series of games will develop a sustainable team which could represent Coleraine Squash in the northwest League next season, a tantalising prospect for a new Olympic sport

The year kicked off in style at Tullyroan Oval on Sunday January 26 with some fantastic action from the Big Van bangers and 1600 Rookie Bangers entertaining the bumper crowd. Dublin’s Steven Reynolds took the Van-dalism 2026 title in the Big Vans, whilst Limavady’s Josh Goligher was the winner from a huge field in the 1600 Rookie Bangers New Year Challenge.
In the support formulas, 10-year-old Armagh lad Jack Murphy had a dream debut in the Junior Productions as he won the final, whilst the other feature race winners were Garvagh’s Dean Catherwood (Superstox) and Ballymena’s Mark McBurney (Lightning Rods).

For full reports and pictures, see this weeks Coleraine Chronicle.