Irish League Football

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Larne manager Gary Haveron says he believes his side should have made the most of the momentum being in their favour and gone on to win the game after scoring an equaliser in their 2-1 extra-time defeat by Coleraine in Saturday's Irish Cup semi-final.

Joel Cooper netted in the first half to put the Bannsiders in front at Windsor Park, before Matty Lusty restored parity with a second-half strike.

Substitute Matthew Shevlin popped up with what turned out to be the decisive goal in the second period of extra time to book his side's berth in the 2 May decider against Dungannon Swifts.

"When we got the equaliser I feel we should have kicked on and won the game because I believe the game was there to be won, but we never really put them under enough pressure, and constant pressure," Haveron told BBC Sport NI after the game.

"They were strong in extra time, they pushed on and their subs made a really strong impact for them.

"There wasn't much in the game, Rohan [Ferguson] barely had a save to make bar the one near the end from Shevlin, whereas their keeper made some fantastic saves."

The Larne boss added that it was a close contest and he was disappointed his side did not come out on top.

"Obviously disappointed, nobody wants to go out at a semi-final stage, and especially not in extra time in the way we did.

"Disappointed with both goals we conceded today.

"It was always going to be very small margins between two top teams in the league."

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Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says reaching May's Irish Cup final against Dungannon Swifts is "a special feeling" and just reward for everyone involved with the club.

The Bannsiders progressed to the decider against holders Dungannon Swifts by defeating Premiership leaders Larne 2-1 after extra time at Windsor Park on Saturday.

Joel Cooper fired Coleraine into a first-half lead, Matty Lusty levelled in the second half, but substitute Matthew Shevlin scored the winner in the second period of extra time.

"It's a special feeling and I'm so pleased for everyone connected with the club. So proud and delighted that we have our place in the final," Higgins told BBC Sport NI.

"It's a brilliant achievement as it's our first year together as a collective and we have something tangible to look forward to and something to be really excited about.

"Our players, our staff, everyone connected with the club, deserves it."

Higgins praised Mark Coyle's delivery, which provided the ammunition for the matchwinner's predatory close-range finish.

"Mark delivered an absolutely beautiful ball, an outstanding cross, and Matthew Shevlin, what he does is put himself in brilliant goalscoring positions.

"He has done that for a countless number of years and I'm really ecstatic for everyone that we managed to get over the line.

"Matthew could have put us in front in the first half of extra time but in the end 'Shevty' does what he does and gets on the end of it."

The Coleraine boss expects a tough test against the Swifts in the final but knows his side must focus on the remaining matches of the league season first, starting with another meeting with Larne on Tuesday night.

"We have four big league games to navigate now and then we can look forward to the cup final at that point.

"We'll be coming up against a team that knows how to win this thing. I've the utmost respect for everyone at Dungannon but on the day it will be up to us to try and lift a huge piece of silverware for our people."

Watch highlights as Peter Campbell scores a late free-kick to rescue a 1-1 draw for Glenavon against Portadown in the Irish Premiership at Mourneview Park.

Campbell was then sent off in injury-time after receiving two yellow cards.

You can read the report from today's game here

Don't forget to follow all of our Irish Premiership coverage on our dedicated Irish League Football page

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Saturday's Irish Premiership game between Ballymena United and Bangor has been postponed.

The sides were due to meet at the Ballymena Showgrounds, but the pitch failed an inspection on Saturday morning.

Heavy rain has left the pitch unplayable as Storm Dave moves into Northern Ireland on Saturday with high winds and heavy rain forecast throughout.

Details on the rescheduled date will be released in due course.

Today's other Irish Premiership clash between Glenavon and Portadown at Mourneview Park is on, as is the Irish Cup semi-final between Larne and Coleraine at Windsor Park.

Also falling victim to the weather is the Championship clash between Ballinamallard United and Armagh City, while Knockbreda v Moyola Park and Dergview v Newry City in the Premier Intermediate are also off.

You can watch that Irish Cup semi-final at 15:00 BST live on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport NI website and app.

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A disappointed Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton felt his side did not do enough to secure a third Irish Cup final appearance in a row as he watched his side lose out on penalties to Dungannon Swifts in Friday's semi-final.

It was a similar story to last year's final for the Reds as they once again lost 4-3 on spot kicks following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Although the north Belfast side made a good start to the game and showed plenty of fight to force an equaliser in the dying act of extra time, Magilton felt they left too many opportunities behind them.

"Dungannon deserved to win the game," the Cliftonville manager told BBC Sport NI.

"We played well in patches in the first half, created one or two really good opportunities, but in big games you need to be clinical and if you don't take your opportunities it can come back and cost you.

"You have to credit the lads for keeping going. It's dying embers, nothing left in the game but they drag it into penalties, get regrouped but unfortunately we missed and they didn't - same as last year.

"We're disappointed as we didn't play as well as we did in the first 45 minutes. I thought we could have kicked on but we didn't."

If Cliftonville are to secure European football next season, they will have to do so through the end of season play-offs but Magilton admits "it will be very difficult".

The Reds host title-chasing Glentoran on Tuesday [19:45 BST] and he accepts he will be going into that game with a depleted squad.

"We've walking wounded, lads gave everything tonight so we will struggle.

"Tuesday is going to be a big ask for us as we have players we can't carry, so we will be down bodies."

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Dungannon Swifts midfielder Gael Bigirimana cut a delighted figure as his side came through on penalties to return to the Irish Cup final, but admits Cliftonville's late equaliser for force spot kicks "got to me".

It seemed the holders were on their way when Kealon Dillon fired home in the first period of extra time following a scoreless 90 minutes, but the north Belfast side scrambled home an equaliser in the last act.

It could have proven to be a hammer blow to the Dungannon side, but they regrouped to hold their nerve and keep their hopes of back to back Irish Cups alive.

"I'm an optimistic person but that goal got to me," Bigirimana told BBC Sport NI.

"It was almost like 'maybe this isn't going to be our day' because we've had chances and then to concede like that.

"The gaffer got us into a huddle and reminded us of what is happening outside of football and how precious life is. We wanted to do it for ourselves, our families, our kids and the community.

"Sometimes when you have achieved something big, the mentality, determination and disciple to go even further is not easy, we've put ourselves in another final."

Dungannon made a slow start to the season, but have ensured a top-half finish in the league and are 90 minutes away from another Irish Cup triumph.

"We don't know how to make it easy on ourselves," Bigirimana continued.

"It's been a tough season as a part-time club. We were delighted to have the Conference [League] experience but the season didn't start well for us with injuries, some players stepping out and new ones coming in.

"To have the type of season we've head is really proud for the club at the club."

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Larne boss Gary Haveron said his side are out to banish bad memories of their previous Irish Cup semi-final defeat when they face Coleraine in the last four on Saturday, a game that will be live on the BBC iPlayer.

The Inver Reds, who have never won the Irish Cup, lost 2-0 to eventual winners Cliftonville at Windsor Park in their previous semi-final appearance in 2024.

And Haveron, who was part of Larne's coaching staff that day, wants his side to right the wrongs from their poor performance that day and progress to the decider where they will face the Reds or holders Dungannon Swifts,

"Last semi-final we played in against Cliftonville we didn't do ourselves justice I hope this time we can erase that from our memory and give the supporters something to look forward to Saturday," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Semi-finals are all about getting to the final any which way they'll come. We know it's going to be really difficult ask.

"Coleraine are a top side, a lot has been made of the amount of players and quality they've brought in this year, so we'll have it all to do but it's a challenge we look forward to. We want to to play the best teams and be involved in games that matter."

Bannsiders boss Ruaidhri Higgins, who guided Derry City to an FAI Cup win in 2022 is hoping to guide Coleraine to a first Irish Cup victory since 2018, but he knows league leaders Larne pose a huge threat to that dream.

"It's exciting and it's going to be difficult for sure," he said.

"It's what we want to be part of and why I joined the club and why a lot of the players have. We have an opportunity against a really good side who have had an amazing season.

"They'll get our full respect but it's a cup semi-final and we want to progress and give everyone in Coleraine a big day out. We have to be prepared to our maximum and go do ourselves proud."

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Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree said it is "going to be extremely difficult" for his side to progress past Cliftonville in their Irish Cup semi-final.

The holders meet the Reds at Windsor Park on Friday in a game that will be live on BBC iPlayer in a repeat of last year's final which the Swifts won on penalties to clinch the Irish Cup for the first time.

With Larne or Coleraine to come in the decider if they get there, McAree knows his side face a tough task to retain the trophy, but he wants a big performance against Cliftonville to keep Swifts fans dreaming of the making that a possibility.

"If you don't win a semi-final you don't have those memories [of winning a final]," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We are as strong as we can be and we know whoever gets to the final from our semi-final is going to have a real big task in terms of winning the cup this season. There are four really good teams left.

"A lot of players and people around the club have really good memories of what we did last season and we want to give ourselves the opportunity of maybe dreaming of that again, but if we don't win this game we don't have that opportunity so full focus goes onto Cliftonville.

"It would mean everything to have a big day to look forward to, but it's going to be extremely difficult."

Cliftonville are aiming to reach a third successive Irish Cup final under Jim Magilton.

Winners in 2024, the Reds are sixth in the Irish Premiership table, one point behind the Swifts and former Northern Ireland international Magilton believes the two sides are "well matched".

"It's two sides that will go into the game full of great intentions to get to another final," he continued.

"We know and respect what Dungannon can bring to the game, they have many, many strengths and we've got to withstand that and we have to come out with the strength our team have."