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Larne and Glens draw, while Blues, Reds, and Carrick secure wins
In a thrilling finale, Andy Ryan’s late injury-time goal enabled Larne, the current Irish Premiership leaders, to secure a 2-2 tie with Glentoran at Inver Park.
In a thrilling turn of events, Ryan swiftly capitalized on a late opportunity to score and salvage a point for his team after his penalty kick was initially saved by Mills.
A dramatic 2-2 draw unfolded between Irish Premiership leaders Larne and Glentoran at Inver Park, with Andy Ryan scoring a crucial goal deep into injury time to secure a point for the home team.
The match took a significant turn when Paul O'Neill scored from the penalty spot to give Larne the lead, but Pat Hoban's goals on either side of halftime shifted the momentum in favor of Glentoran, only for Hoban to be sent off after an altercation with Ryan, who later scored after his penalty was saved.
A last-minute goal from James Akitunde allowed Coleraine to come from behind and defeat Portadown 2-1 at the Showgrounds, securing a hard-fought victory.
Matthew Fitzpatrick's impressive hat-trick performance propelled Linfield to a resounding 6-0 win over Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park, showcasing the team's dominance.
Carrick Rangers continued their strong run with a 2-1 win against Glenavon, while Cliftonville bounced back to winning form in the league with a 3-1 victory over Bangor at Solitude, demonstrating their resilience.
The weather caused the postponement of Ballymena United's match against Crusaders, marking the fifth game at the Warden Street Showgrounds to be affected by the weather in 2026.
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Highlights from the Larne vs. Glentoran match are available.
The match between Larne and Glentoran took a dramatic turn when Andrew Mills rushed out of his goal, colliding with O'Neill, and the resulting penalty was scored by O'Neill despite Mills' attempt to save it.
O'Neill successfully converted the penalty kick, despite Mills managing to get a hand to the ball, giving Larne an early advantage.
Glentoran benefited from a stroke of luck just before halftime when Marcus Kane's low strike deflected off Hoban, catching Rohan Ferguson off guard and resulting in an equalizing goal.
Hoban played a crucial role in flipping the game's momentum in favor of Glentoran, scoring less than five minutes into the second half after meeting James Singleton's well-placed ball to the back post.
Singleton nearly scored again, striking the post, while Larne had a significant penalty claim when Jarlath O'Rourke appeared to handle the ball on the line, blocking Ryan's header.
A controversial incident involving Ryan and Hoban led to Hoban's ejection from the game with a straight red card, denying him the opportunity to complete a hat-trick, after the two players clashed during a corner kick.
Despite being down a player, Glentoran had a chance to seal the win late in the game, but Jordan Jenkins was unable to beat Rohan Ferguson in a one-on-one situation.
This missed opportunity proved costly, as MJ Kamson-Kamara's handball in the box gave Larne another penalty kick deep into stoppage time.
Ryan stepped up to take the penalty and, after Mills saved his initial effort, he scored on the rebound to secure a point for Larne.
The match ended with another red card being issued, this time to Ryan Cooney, who was ejected for his vocal outburst towards Shane Andrews after the final whistle.
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Highlights from the Coleraine vs. Portadown match are available.
The visitors took an early lead when Josh Ukek scored his third goal of the season midway through the first half.
A Coleraine free kick was cleared by Steven McCullough, but Ukek showcased his speed and skill, evading the Coleraine defense before scoring with a low shot past Ryan Schofield.
Ukek's goal was a notable individual effort, as he demonstrated his pace and agility in beating the Coleraine defense and finding the back of the net.
Portadown had opportunities to extend their lead in the first half, but Schofield made a crucial save to deny Luke Wilson, and Jack Scott's goal-bound shot was blocked by Mark Connolly.
Chances were scarce for Coleraine, but Will Patching came close with a well-struck volley that was impressively saved by Alex Moore.
Moore continued to impress with a series of fine saves after halftime, denying Joel Cooper on multiple occasions and palming away Patching's 30-yard free kick.
However, Moore was unable to prevent Cooper from equalizing for Coleraine with 15 minutes remaining, as the midfielder scored with a low left-foot shot from 25 yards.
The match seemed destined for a draw, but Coleraine took the lead deep into added time when Ben Wylie's cross found its way to James Akitunde, who scored the winning goal and sparked wild celebrations.
Akitunde's goal secured a dramatic 2-1 win for Coleraine, capping off an exciting match at the Showgrounds.
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Watch Matthew Fitzpatrick score a hat-trick as Linfield dominated Dungannon Swifts.
After an intense and open start to the match, Linfield broke the deadlock when Fitzpatrick scored, capitalizing on Ethan McGee's impressive run through the Dungannon midfield.
McGee's forward surge and pass to Fitzpatrick allowed the latter to beat the offside trap and score with a right-footed shot across goal.
Linfield doubled their lead just before halftime, with Kyle McClean scoring from a tight angle after being set up by Adam Frizzell.
The Blues added a third goal on 62 minutes, as substitute Isaac Baird scored from close range with his first touch, following some impressive work down the right flank by McGee.
Fitzpatrick added his second goal 15 minutes from time with a clever flick into the bottom corner, before completing his hat-trick 12 minutes later with a superb finish from a tight angle, bringing his season total to 17 goals.
Substitute Sean Brown put the finishing touch on Linfield's dominant performance, scoring with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.
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Highlights from the Carrick Rangers vs. Glenavon match are available.
The match took a turn in Carrick's favor after 15 minutes, as a pass down the right flank allowed Paul Heatley to break free. He then moved infield and unleashed a left-footed shot that curled into the top-left corner of the goal, marking his ninth score of the season.
Glenavon's first scoring opportunity arrived in the 22nd minute, courtesy of a cross from Paul McGovern. Although the ball seemed innocuous, Luke McCullough nearly inadvertently deflected it into his own goal, but Scott Pengelly made a crucial save to prevent the mistake.
Carrick doubled their lead on 35 minutes, with captain Luke McCullough getting on the scoresheet.
Aidan Steele provided the delivery from the right, and McCullough rose above the rest to head the ball into the right side of the goal from 12 yards out.
Glenavon's situation took a turn for the worse when Niall Quinn was given a straight red card for a foul on Paul Heatley, who was making a run towards the goal.
However, Glenavon were handed a chance to get back into the game on 76 minutes. Carrick struggled to clear a long ball forward, and it fell to Paul McGovern on the edge of the area.
McGovern played the ball to Campbell, who scored from 20 yards out, but ultimately, Carrick held on to secure the three points.
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Highlights from the match between Cliftonville and Bangor are available.
The opening stages of the match in north Belfast were cautious, but Bangor should have taken the lead when Ben Arthurs rounded Lewis Ridd following a misplaced back pass by Kyle McClelland. However, a goal-line clearance by Jonny Addis denied them the opportunity.
Five minutes before halftime, Arthurs came close again, meeting Reece Neale's cross, but his effort drifted wide of the post.
Shortly after, Cliftonville capitalized on Bangor's missed chances when Conor Pepper found Joe Gormley on the edge of the penalty area. Gormley shifted the ball to his right before scoring with a low shot.
Just before the hour mark, Bangor equalized in unusual circumstances. Jonny Addis blocked Stephen Fallon's shot, but the ball deflected off Conor Pepper and into the goal.
Cliftonville regained their lead less than a minute later. Joe Gormley headed Rory Hale's cross into the path of Michael Glynn, who scored via a deflection off the woodwork.
Substitute Brian Healy extended Cliftonville's advantage when Callum McCay broke through the Bangor defense and played the ball behind for Healy to score past Gareth Deane.
Bangor had the chance to reduce the deficit from the penalty spot shortly after, but Harry Lynch's weak effort down the middle was easily saved by Lewis Ridd.
News
GB men’s curling team suffers upset defeat to Italy
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Great Britain’s men’s curling team mounted a comeback against Italy following a disappointing beginning, ultimately falling short in their inaugural match.
Despite a valiant comeback, Team GB ultimately fell short as Italy held their composure to secure the win in the final end.
A dismal start to the match proved costly for Team GB's men, as they suffered their first defeat of the Winter Olympics at the hands of host nation Italy, despite a spirited fightback in the packed Cortina Curling Stadium.
Following victories in their first two matches, including a win over the Swedish rink that beat them in the gold-medal match four years ago, Team GB entered their second high-profile encounter in as many days in a confident position.
However, a disastrous opening end, in which Italy stole four points, left Team GB trailing and facing an uphill battle in front of a boisterous home crowd.
The British team, currently ranked number one in the world, gradually regained their footing and managed to level the score by the ninth end.
Ultimately, Italy maintained their composure in the final end to emerge victorious, winning 9-7 and adding Team GB to their list of scalps, which already included the Swedes.
"We had to dig deep and play some solid curling, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get us over the line," Team GB lead Hammy McMillan said in an interview with BBC Sport.
With seven wins from nine round-robin matches guaranteeing a spot in the semi-finals, Team GB remains in a strong position, although fewer wins may still be sufficient to advance.
The women's team is set to take to the ice next, facing South Korea in their second match at 13:05 GMT, while the men will return to action on Saturday against the Czech Republic at the same time.
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The looks of shock on the faces of Team GB's curlers told the story of a disastrous opening end.
With a stone in play, Mouat attempted a risky shot in an effort to claim two points, but it backfired, resulting in none of Team GB's stones in the house and four Italian stones in position.
However, the Scottish quartet, ranked number one in the world, quickly regained their composure and got back to their game.
The teams exchanged singles before a impressive final throw by Mouat, aided by a measurement to determine which stone was closest to the button, allowed Team GB to claim two points and narrow the gap to 5-3.
Another excellent team effort, which included a well-judged throw by Mouat, a solid sweep by Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie, and Grant Hardie's strategic expertise, forced Italy to concede a point in the fourth end, reducing the deficit to a single point at the break.
Italy blanked the sixth end and added two points in the seventh to rebuild their lead, but Team GB fought back with two points of their own, remarkably levelling the score with one end remaining after a steal.
The match came down to the final end, but Italy held their nerve to secure the win, prompting a deafening roar from the crowd.
"It's an incredible experience, and we need to get used to it," McMillan added, describing the electric atmosphere as "surreal" and "cool," more akin to a football match than a typical curling crowd.
News
Scotland Kicks Off Nations League Against Slovenia
Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland set to begin their campaign on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.
Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland's campaign set to begin on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.
The team's six group stage games will be played within a three-month period, culminating in a match against Switzerland on 16 November.
The fixture list was announced following Thursday's draw, which placed Scotland in a group with Switzerland, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.
Having been relegated from League A after a play-off loss to Greece last year, Scotland will compete in the second tier of the Nations League this year.
In response to the draw, head coach Steve Clarke noted that the teams in the group appear to be evenly matched.
Clarke reflected on the team's past experience in the competition, stating that it has been beneficial for Scotland.
He emphasized the importance of the Nations League, citing its role in helping the team qualify for Euro 2020, and anticipated a challenging set of matches.
A key matchup in the Nations League will see Scotland face off against Switzerland.
The group stage will determine the teams' fates, with the winner earning promotion, the runner-up entering a play-off, the third-placed team facing a relegation play-off, and the fourth-placed team being relegated directly.
The upcoming group games will mark a reunion for Scotland and Switzerland, who previously drew 1-1 in Cologne at Euro 2024.
Scotland's last encounter with Slovenia was during the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, when they won 1-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.
The team has not played North Macedonia since the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, when they drew 1-1 at home and won 2-1 away, with goals from Ikechi Anya and Shaun Maloney.
The schedule for Scotland's Nations League campaign begins on 26 September with a match against Slovenia.
The team will then host Switzerland on 29 September, followed by a trip to face North Macedonia on 3 October.
Scotland will then play Slovenia at home on 6 October, before hosting North Macedonia on 11 November.
The final group stage match will see Scotland travel to face Switzerland on 16 November.
The team's home match against North Macedonia is set for 11 November.
The campaign will conclude with an away match against Switzerland on 16 November.
News
Golfer McIlroy Sinks Bunker Shot at Pebble Beach Pro-Am
At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California, Rory McIlroy achieved an eagle on the 14th hole at Spyglass Hill, capping off his opening round with a score of 68.
During the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California, Rory McIlroy achieved an eagle on the 14th hole at Spyglass Hill, contributing to his first-round score of 68.
For further information, Rory McIlroy had a solid opening round, while Hisatsune took the lead.
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