Latest news with #NIFLPremiership
The 42
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Shamrock Rovers sign former Down GAA star John McGovern from Dungannon Swifts
LEAGUE OF IRELAND Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers have confirmed the signing of striker John McGovern from NIFL Premiership club Dungannon Swifts. Rovers paid a fee to Dungannon which will remain undisclosed, each club has confirmed, with Dungannon saying that McGovern departs Stangmore Park 'with every blessing from everyone involved at DSFC'. Former Down Gaelic footballer McGovern, 22, scored 20 goals in all competitions for Swifts last season, opening the scoring in their Irish Cup final against Cliftonville which they eventually won on penalties. The Ballyholland native won a Tailteann Cup and an Ulster U20 title with The Mourne County but chose to pursue soccer over Sam Maguire football this summer. Advertisement McGovern is also is a former Northern Ireland U21 international. 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗘𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🥹 | 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻 💙 Goodbye and thank you, to you our trusted friend, John. We have agreed a deal for John McGovern to leave Stangmore Park, for an undisclosed fee, to join League of Ireland side, @ShamrockRovers John leaves Stangmore… — Dungannon Swifts FC (@DgnSwifts) May 27, 2025 Rovers boss Stephen Bradley, whose side are six points clear atop the LOI Premier Division table and host Galway United on Friday night, said the Hoops had been monitoring striker McGovern for a year but had been unable to sign him while he completed his college degree in Business and IT studies. 'John will give us real depth in that forward area of the pitch and another dimension,' Bradley said. 'His age profile means he's one for now, but also the future. 'We tried quite a bit over the last year to sign John, but it wasn't possible. He was at University and Dungannon weren't ready to sell at that moment in time. So, it was a case of continuing to monitor John, and thankfully, we've got him in now. 'We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait on John as he was someone we'd monitored for quite some time.' McGovern's transfer is subject to subject to international and domestic clearance which, when approved, would allow the Down native to be available for selection from 1 July.
The Courier
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Freed Dunfermline Athletic defender linked with move to Northern Ireland
Freed Dunfermline defender Aaron Comrie could be on his way to Glentoran in the Northern Irish Premiership. The former St Johnstone full-back was one of 14 players who left East End Park at the end of the season. And the 28-year-old is reported to now be in talks with Glentoran about a move to Belfast. Comrie spent six years with Dunfermline after leaving Saints in 2019 and racked up his 200th appearance for the Pars back in January. He has been a dependable presence in the Fifers back line for five campaigns in the Championship and is a League One winner from two years ago. However, with a big shake-up expected at Dunfermline this summer, he was deemed surplus to requirements when the club announced their retained and released list earlier this month. Glentoran finished the season in third place in the NIFL Premiership but lost out to eventual winners Cliftonville in the semi-finals of the play-off for a UEFA Conference League spot. Manager Declan Devine is eager to strengthen his squad after missing out on Europe and has targeted Comrie's experience in his summer recruitment. The Glens' squad already includes Comrie's former Dunfermline and Celtic youth team-mate, Joe Thomson, as well as fellow Scot Liam Burt. Comrie was joined by Rhys Breen, Joe Chalmers, Craig Clay, Michael O'Halloran, Omar Taylor-Clarke, Craig Wighton and David Wotherspoon, as well as six loan players, in being released by the Pars after the end of the season. Wighton has since joined Montrose on a two-year deal after opting to go part-time, whilst Breen has spoken of facing a 'make or break' move following his exit.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Rangers star breaks silence on Dundee manager job links and reveals he IS coming to Scotland
He turned down the chance to take a job in Scotland last year TIME TO HEAL Ex-Rangers star breaks silence on Dundee manager job links and reveals he IS coming to Scotland DUNDEE are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Tony Docherty. And a number of former Celtic and Rangers stars have been linked with the Dens Park vacancy. Advertisement 3 David Healy's sport spell with Rangers saw him win the league title Credit: Action Images - Reuters 3 He's Northern Ireland's record all-time goalscorer Credit: PA:Press Association 3 Healy has been Linfield manager for the past decade Credit: Willie Vass Less than 24 hours after securing Scottish Premiership safety, Dundee made the bombshell decision to dismiss Docherty on Monday morning. He left the club after two years in charge. SunSport exclusively revealed that former Celtic star Shaun Maloney was in the frame to replace Docherty. The former Hibs and Wigan boss looked set to land the Dundee job back in 2022 but a deal couldn't be agreed. Advertisement Celtic legend Scott Brown, currently in charge of Ayr, was installed as the early bookies' favourite for the job while ex-Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson was also priced up at 4/1. Another former Old Firm ace to be linked with the vacancy is David Healy. The Northern Ireland legend had a spell with Rangers between 2011 and 2012 where he won the SPL title. He's been Linfield manager since 2015 and has been hugely successful in the role. Advertisement Healy has led the club to six NIFL Premiership titles, the most recent of those coming in the season just gone. The former striker, who is Northern Ireland's all-time leading goalscorer, has been linked with a number of jobs in recent years but has decided to stay with Linfield. Kris Boyd says Rangers players were in SHOCK that 'ghost goal' against Hibs wasn't given Healy rejected interest from Raith Rovers last year after emerging as one of the leading contenders for the Stark's Park job. Now, he's being linked with a switch to Scotland again - this time with Dundee. Advertisement Healy himself has now broken his silence on the Dens Park job links. Speaking to BBC Sport NI, he revealed he IS on his way to Scotland. But he insists it has NOTHING to do with speaking to any clubs about a managerial vacancy. Healy said: "I am going to Scotland this weekend but no (not for a job interview) and I'm not going to the Scottish Cup final." Advertisement His contract at Linfield has just one more year left to run, expiring at the end of next season. And Healy seems confident that he'll extend that stay further. He continued: "I'm sure I'll sit down and talk about the contract, I've been successful, and I think the club know what they're going to get out of me. "I shouldn't see why it can't come to a conclusion, I think it has been timing and circumstances. Advertisement "I contemplated a change last summer (the Raith job) because I didn't know where I stood, but hopefully with the success this year, going forward we can build on that." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Former Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins set for managerial return with NIFL Premiership side
RUAIDHRI HIGGINS is set for a return to football with Coleraine. The Bannsiders announced that they had parted company with manager Dean Shiels and his assistant Michael O'Connor. There was no confirmation of a replacement but SunSport understands that ex-Derry City boss Higgins has been lined up to take charge at The Showgrounds. The Limavady man had been linked with roles at Athlone Town and Waterford but will instead return to the dugout in the NIFL Premiership. He will work under Coleraine's sporting director Oran Kearney, who is Shiels' brother-in-law. Higgins, 40, finished up his playing career with Coleraine eight years ago before joining Read More On Irish Football He followed Kenny to the FAI to work as opposition analyst with the men's senior team before taking his first managerial role with Derry in April 2021. Taking over a team in relegation trouble, he led them to a fourth-place finish. The following year, they came second and lifted the FAI Cup. They again came runners-up in 2023 but without mounting a sustained title challenge. Most read in Football They faltered in the final stages of the 2024 campaign and ultimately came fourth and lost the Cup final to Drogheda United 1 Ruaidhrí Higgins is set for a return to the dugout Mikel Arteta forced to pull back fuming Arsenal set piece coach after Declan Rice corner routine goes wrong
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
James McClean's brother under investigation for attending IRA march
Credit: X/Sunday World James McClean's younger brother is being investigated by his football club after appearing to attend a parade linked to the New IRA. Patrick McClean, who plays for Northern Irish side Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership, was spotted in social media footage which appears to show him walking in a parade in Derry on Easter Monday. Around 200 people attended the march, at which police said petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown at them. Many attendees were dressed in paramilitary-style attire and had their faces covered. The annual march is held in Derry, also known as Londonderry, to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule, which took place in Dublin. Footage on social media appears to show the younger McClean, 28, at the event although there is no evidence he was involved in any disorder. 'Glentoran Football Club is aware of footage involving one of our players currently circulating online,' his club said in a statement. 'The club is fully committed to maintaining a respectful, inclusive and welcoming environment for all players, staff, supporters and the wider community. 'The matter is being reviewed internally in line with club policies and no further comment will be made at this time.' Gillian Kearney, the Chief Superintendent and area commander of Derry City and Strabane, called the parade 'utterly shameful'. 'Despite the claim by organisers of today's Easter Monday parade who said they wanted to hold a dignified commemoration, what we saw was the complete opposite,' she said. 'From the commencement of the parade to when it dispersed, we saw masked individuals, which we believe at this time to be a breach of the Parades Commission determination. 'As these masked individuals made their way towards the dispersal point on Lecky Road, disorder developed in the area of Nailors Row from around 2.50pm. 'Petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry were thrown which resulted in nearby Bishop Street (Without) being closed for a time for public safety reasons. 'Members of the public were diverted away from that area in the City Walls. 'This disorder involving young people was orchestrated. We have no doubt about this. 'Young people were shamelessly and deliberately used in an attempt to distract from and shield the masked individuals as they took cover in a gazebo following the parade in the area of St Joseph's Place to change out of their parade clothing. 'This is child criminal exploitation. It is utterly shameful.' Wrexham and Republic of Ireland midfielder James McClean was fined two weeks' wages by Stoke City in 2020 over a social media post showing him wearing a balaclava while teaching his children what he termed a 'history lesson'. He is also renowned for his refusal to wear a poppy or mark Remembrance Day, a stance he explained in an Instagram post in November. He wrote: 'The poppy represents for me an entire different meaning to what it does for others, am I offended by someone wearing a poppy? No absolutely not, what does offend me tho [sic], is having the poppy try be forced upon me.' He added that his stance stemmed from Bloody Sunday, in which he said British soldiers murdered '14 innocent civilians' in Londonderry in January 1972. 'That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy,' said McClean, who has a tattoo of the 'Free Derry' landmark in the city's Bogside area on his left thigh. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
