Latest news with #BBCSportNI
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
NIFL Premiership new season kicks-off with six live games on BBC Sport NI
There's a feast of live NIFL Sports Direct Premiership football coming up in the new season with BBC Sport NI serving up two live matches in the opening weekend. The first live game is the curtain raiser to the 2025/26 season on August 8, between Coleraine and Larne – one of five live streamed games in August. September sees the first live TV game of the new season featuring the big Belfast derby between Glentoran and Champions Linfield at The Oval. After the season opener at the Showgrounds, newly promoted Bangor host Cliftonville in the live streamed game on August 10 at Clandeboye Park. The third match sees David Healy's Linfield make the trip to the Ballymena Showground on Friday 15 August to take on Jim Ervin's Ballymena United who will be hoping to repeat the positive start they made to last year's campaign. That's followed on August 19 for the game between Cliftonville and last season's runners-up, Larne. Coleraine and Linfield round off August's live streamed games before the Belfast Derby between Glentoran and Linfield on Friday 12 September on BBC Two Northern Ireland. The live streamed games will be available on BBC iPlayer and on the BBC Sport NI website with Glentoran – Linfield live on BBC Two NI and BBC iPlayer. Coleraine v Larne – Friday 8 August BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport NI Online Bangor v Cliftonville – Sunday 10 August BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online Ballymena v Linfield – Friday 15 August BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online Cliftonville v Larne – Tuesday 19 August BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online Coleraine v Linfield – Friday 29 August BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online Glentoran v Linfield – Friday 12 September BBC Two NI & BBC iPlayer KM2 Follow For More
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
McHugh eager to make his own history for Donegal
Ryan McHugh says emulating his successful family members is not a primary motivation for this weekend's All-Ireland football final against Kerry. McHugh's dad, Martin, and uncle, James, were key figures in Donegal's maiden All-Ireland win in 1992, while older brother Mark played when Sam Maguire returned to the hills in 2012. Ryan joined Mark on the team that reached the 2014 final against Kerry but fell short and, although his older brother has progressed on to coaching, the younger of the Kilcar brothers is still a mainstay in the green and gold. Although he would dearly love to get his own Celtic Cross this weekend, his desire to succeed is fuelled by a motivation to reach the top and banish the memories of the disappointing days since. "I haven't got one yet, but it's nothing I think of," the 31-year-old told BBC Sport NI. "Mark and dad had phenomenal careers for Donegal. Would I love an All-Ireland medal? Of course I would. It's over to me now to do that, but it's not something I think of that I have to get one because they did. "I'm blessed to have been born at a time where Donegal have been in All-Ireland finals. As a supporter in 2012 and with Mark playing, it was unbelievable for the family. "Then in '14 with myself involved, it was massive for the family and for Donegal. It was disappointing in '14, but hopefully we can put that right this time." McHugh was just 20 when he lined out against The Kingdom in that 2014 defeat and with it being Donegal's second final in three years, he could have been forgiven they would be there or thereabouts in the years to come. Sport doesn't work out that way and although there were Ulster title wins in 2018 and 2019, they just couldn't make the big breakthrough. The return of Jim McGuinness as manager last year and Michael Murphy's decision to reverse his retirement have injected fresh impetus in Donegal football and with the county riding high again, McHugh is hopeful they can take the final step on Sunday. "As a kid, you think you're going to maybe not make a final, but semi-finals and quarter-finals every couple of years," he said. "It didn't work out that way for different reasons, but since Jim's back involved, we've been competing again, got to a semi-final last year and thankfully gone one better this year. It will mean nothing if we don't get over the line. "There's no guarantee in life you're going to win anything, but when Jim's involved, there's a good chance you're going to compete for the top prizes."
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
World Cup has come 'sooner than I thought'
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand believes his side are further along in their journey than he anticipated they would be at this stage of his is preparing his side up for the Rugby World Cup in England next month, with Ireland drawn against Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool pleased with their success, which includes qualifying for the tournament, beating New Zealand in the WXV1 and finishing third in the Women's Six Nations, he has been surprised by their quick progress."Whatever happens in this World Cup, when I was sat in the interview for this job two years ago, I was talking about Australia World Cup in 2029," he told BBC Sport NI's Orla Bannon."I'm not surprised with the level of performance the girls have got to, but with where we have got to, it is a bit sooner than we thought, but we won't fight it."Bemand dismissed the notion that the World Cup is "a free hit" and is hoping his players can perform to their potential as they aim to reach the knockout stages."We have earned the right to be here and we're not under the radar now, we want to deliver on the world stage and if the time is now, it is now and there's an internal pressure to deliver on what we are capable of," he added."We have two warm-up games and by the time we get to the shores of England, we will be ready. We're concentrated on getting our best performance out there and if we do, the results will take care of themselves."We believe we have the capability to get to London [where the semi-finals are being held], so why not dream?"
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'I'm obsessed with it' - Dornan on his love of golf
Jamie Dornan has been speaking to BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson at Royal Portrush on his love of golf, being a member at the famous course and Rory McIlroy.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Irwin aiming to be back in BSB action in August
British Superbike rider Glenn Irwin is targeting a return to the track in August after indicating that his recovery from injuries sustained in a crash at Snetterton in June is progressing ahead of suffered fractures to his hip socket and pelvis as a result of the incident and had surgery on his sacrum (pelvic region) as part of his 35-year-old crashed during a free practice session at the third round of the series, having finished on the podium in four of the first five races of the 2025 sat out the last round of the BSB championship at Knockhill in early July and will also miss next weekend's meeting at Brands record 11-time North West 200 Superbike winner says he will most likely return for the Cadwell Park races un Lincolnshire on 23-25 August but could be back in action earlier than that at the Thruxton round in Hampshire on 8-10 August."Originally I feared that my season was done. Now I'm thinking, come back, then target a podium after that and target a win before the season is out," Irwin told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson."Realistically I should be doing the last four or five meetings, which would be starting from Cadwell, but with how things are going and the speed of recovery I wouldn't rule out an earlier return."Thruxton is maybe a good one to come back for. It's quite a relaxed track to ride at but whatever one we do come back for it will be because we are medically fit, not just taking chances." The Hager PBM Ducati rider revealed that the outcome of the crash could have been worse."I made a mistake, ran a little bit wide on the left-hander before Turn Nine and that resulted in a huge high-side."I always look at the positive picture. My brother Andrew missed me by two inches, which would obviously have been a very different outcome."I fractured my sacrum into multiple pieces and fractured my right hip socket but I'm good. I had surgery three weeks ago on Thursday."The Northern Ireland rider explained that his medical team were content with the better-then-expected pace of his recovery."I was meant to be six weeks non-weight bearing but we're already ahead of the game. I had a review in the Royal [Victoria Hospital in Belfast] and as bike riders we're always looking to 'jump the gun'."This time the doctors were saying, 'you can walk with your crutches now, you can cycle, you can swim' so now you get a picture of a return."I'm already back in the gym and that's been a huge step, so back training. The progress has been huge and I'm excited now as I see a goal in front of me."
