Falling short of Play-Off success will not take the shine off a remarkable season of joy for Belfast Giants
After winning the League title, adding it to the Challenge Cup they won in March, the stage was set for the Giants to create more history under Adam Keefe. A second Grand Slam in three years beckoned; the Cardiff Devils and then, in the Final, either the Sheffield Steelers or the Nottingham Panthers standing in the way of perfection.
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Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
East Kilbride 3 Stranraer 1: Kilby strike late on to edge Blues in dramatic finish
Kilby made it back-to-back wins in League Two East Kilbride left it late to grab their first home win in the SPFL - sending a trio of ex-gaffers home empty-handed on their K-Park return. The Blues sported THREE former Kilby managers in the dugout, with Chris Aitken, Stevie Aitken and Martin Fellowes all having been at the helm in the past few years. But after giving their former employers a scare, Kilby struck twice in the final nine minutes to edge some familiar faces in a dramatic finish to the League Two that also saw scorer Joao Balde sent off. Stranraer looked like they might take a point when Sallu Turay struck four minutes into the second half to cancel out John Robertson's 33rd minute opener from the penalty spot. However, Rhys Breen blasted home inside the box in the final nine minutes and then Joao Balde netted a diving header to make it back-to-back wins for Mick Kennedy's men after their opening day defeat at home to Spartans. Balde was booked in the aftermath of his goal, with something clearly said by one of the visiting supporters as he celebrated, and he picked up a second booking just moments later to get his marching orders. It leaves EK third in the table after three games. Kilby made just one change from their midweek Challenge Cup win over Queen of the South, as John Robertson came into the starting line-up at the expense of Jack Healy. The visitors named the same side that defeated Alloa in cup action, with ex-EK man BJ Coll on the bench. Inside six minutes Kilby came agonisingly close to taking an early lead when Sean Fagan made a great run in behind and his delivery across the face of goal was a whisker away from being met by skipper Jack Leitch at the back post, but his outstretched leg couldn't get a touch on it to turn the ball home. Lewis Dobbie had the ball in the back of the net for EK just moments later with a thumping volley from the edge of the box, but the near-side official had his flag up for an offside in the build-up. The Blues went close themselves in the ninth minute when Finn Ecrepont burst down the right and his pinpoint cross picked out Corey O'Donnell. However, the former Motherwell kid couldn't divert his effort on target from a great position. In 16 minutes Dobbie was denied at point-blank range when his header was well kept out by Josh Lane. Down the other end, Stranraer continued to look dangerous down the right and they were twice able to get deliveries across the face of goal. Again, though, O'Donnell failed to find that killer touch to make them pay. And that came back to haunt them in 33 minutes when Kilby took the lead from the penalty spot. Fagan got into the box down the right and marker Finn Ecrepont hauled him to the ground just inside, leaving referee Cameron Stirling to point to the spot. It looked a touch soft, but Kilby didn't care and Robertson powered his penalty beyond Lane, who managed to get a hand to it but couldn't keep it out. Lane did well to keep out a curling effort from Robertson in 39 minutes, as Kilby threatened to double their lead before the break. Stranraer thought they had equalised right on half-time when Mark Russell's corner was headed home at the back post by Evan Dunne. As the Stranraer players celebrated, the referee awarded a foul against Kilby keeper Freddie Owens and the visiting fans were quickly silenced. Magnus MacKenzie then got a vital touch in the last attack of the half to deny O'Donnell an equaliser and Kilby kept their advantage going into the break. However, Stranraer did pull level four minutes into the second half. Turay picked up possession in his own half and then his pace took him beyond his marker and into the box, where he made no mistake. He kept his cool and slid the ball under Owens to find the back of the net, despite the best efforts of Rhys Breen racing back to the goalline. A rasping Lewis Reid drive in 65 minutes flew just over the top as the Blues threatened again. Kilby turned to their bench with winger Nathan Flanagan and returning striker Cami Elliott coming on to try and find a winner, with Dobbie and Keir Foster making way. The hosts got away with one when Owens couldn't keep hold of a strike and O'Donnell almost pounced but his first touch inside the six-yard box was heavy and he knocked the ball just out of touch before he could try to turn the ball home from an acute angle. Elliott should have done better with a free header in the centre of the box from a Leitch corner on 78 minutes, as Kilby pushed to find a winner. Nine minutes from time, Jack Leitch's acrobatic effort in the box was blocked and the loose ball fell to Breen to blast home the rebound. Joao Balde then sealed the points in 89 minutes with a diving header into the bottom corner. Something was said to the Kilby player from a supporter in the Stranraer end, forcing a long stoppage in play, and Balde was booked for his protests amid Kilby players showing their digust towards the visiting end. Balde then picked up a second booking for a foul on Lewis Reid to end the game on a bit of a sour note. Kilby now travel to Stirling Albion on league business next weekend. EAST KILBRIDE: Owens, Breen, Ferguson, NacKenzie, Fagan, Leitch, Spence, Balde, Dobbie (Elliott 60), Foster (Flanagan 60), Robertson. Scorers: Robertson 33, Breen 81, Balde 90 Bookings: Fagan, Robertson Sent off: Balde Subs not used: Morrison, Sula, Hamilton, Healy, Lyon, Mimnaugh. STRANRAER: Lane, Rough, Ecrepont, Dunne, Reid, McManus (Hunter 39), Russell, Dolan, Turay (Stuart 71), Quigg (Edgar 84), O'Donnell. Scorers: Turay Bookings: HT: 1-0
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Emma Raducanu addresses love life and 'terrible' Carlos Alcaraz question ahead of US Open
Emma Raducanu has been met with relentless questions about her love life and friendship with Carlos Alcaraz, who she will be playing doubles with at the US Open Emma Raducanu opts to block out the noise from relentless speculation about her love life. The British tennis sensation will play alongside Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open mixed doubles tournament. The two former US Open winners have been friends for a long time, but many tennis fans believe they may be more than simple close acquaintances. Raducanu is currently experiencing what could be described as her finest season since her stunning rise from obscurity to winning the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows in 2021. Nevertheless, the questions about the two-time Wimbledon winner keep being served to her. She was seen watching one of Alcaraz's matches at Queen's during the summer, sparking unfounded rumours about an alleged hotel rendezvous between the pair. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old firmly declared at the time she and the world No. 2 are "just friends." She has since tackled the suggestions in another interview with the Guardian. The British No. 1 said: "I guess I'm like, it comes with the territory, people being so curious. I think they're more curious about this news than any tennis results and tennis news. "But I just keep myself to myself, my private life to one side. It's always amusing when people try to dig something up, but I try not to pay too much attention to it." At Wimbledon, British tennis ace Cam Norrie was bizarrely questioned about whether he was romantically involved with Raducanu during a press conference by an overseas journalist who was digging into the Alcaraz rumours. The bewildered player, who enjoys a long-standing relationship with partner Louise Jacobi, replied: "Sorry?!" The reporter then sought clarification, asking: "I am trying to find out who is dating Emma Raducanu. It seems to be a question circulating among all the men's singles... I was wondering if you're dating her, please?" Norrie, clearly uncomfortable, responded: "I'm not, no. You can ask her. I don't know." Raducanu, finding humour in the awkward situation, chuckled and said: "That was terrible, terrible." She has previously opened up about her friendship with Alcaraz, which goes back many years, telling the Mail: "He's so nice, very happy, amazing values and just a really positive light to be around. I've known him for years. "Wimbledon 2021 was the first time I started getting to know him. He was always playing the day before me, I would see him win and then I would have motivation to win and get myself into that position too. "It was really cool to go through that tournament together and then I kept going through the US Open, we were staying in touch for the whole time and, yeah, it's nice. "We have a good relationship still. He's obviously overtaken me a lot, but it's nice that we have that from a while ago."
Belfast Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Tiernan Lynch opens up on how past FAI Cup Final anguish is fuelling Derry City's push to hit back at Drogheda United
The 2024 Final at the Aviva Stadium is still fresh in the mind of the City fans and the majority of the players, seven of whom started the decider and could well play a part on Saturday night. Drogheda won 2-0 to deny City a seventh FAI Cup triumph, a defeat which marked the end of Ruaidhri Higgins' time as manager. It is now a new era at the Brandywell with Tiernan Lynch and his staff hoping to make it to their first Final, but he is also hoping that his team will have some extra motivation on Saturday evening because of what happened previously. 'Yeah, you hope so,' he said. 'Everybody knows and is well aware of losing the Final last year, and I'm sure there were a lot of hugely disappointed heads, no more than the players and the staff because of the effort and the commitment and the work that they put in to get there. 'You can hope that you can use that as motivation to put that right.' Being in the hat for the FAI Cup Quarter-Finals is all that matters for Lynch in what is a potentially season-defining game against the holders. Having watched their title hopes fade away in recent weeks thanks to a return of just one goal and two points in the previous four League games, Lynch understands the importance of Derry winning the Cup. But given his team's poor form and the criticism which has followed, Saturday night's Cup tie at the Brandywell may have come at just the right time. 'As long as you win it,' Lynch insisted. 'It's a great distraction as long as you get your name in the hat at 10.00pm on Saturday night. We're under no illusions about how difficult the game is going to be on Saturday night. 'Drogheda is a really difficult team to break down. I don't think they've conceded a goal now for four or five games, and they're just one of those teams who are very good at what they do, and great credit to them for it. 'We know we have to be at our very best, and whether it's at home or whether it's at Drogheda, it makes no difference. There's a challenge in what comes with Saturday night.' With the title now lost, European qualification and an FAI Cup win have become the priorities, and the importance of delivering is not lost on Lynch. 'I think that's what comes with managing big clubs,' he continued. 'It's not something that we take personally or something that we take any offence at. The expectations are high, and we understand that. It's our job to get better at it.'
