Linfield

Linfield have reached the second round of the BetMcLean Cup with a 2-0 win over Queen’s University at Windsor Park.

Chris McKee, who had an early effort ruled out, opened the scoring when he headed home Charlie Allen’s cross in the 18th minute.

Queen’s University, who have impressed since they earned promotion to the Championship, had a chance to equalise when Tommy Smyth’s header forced David Walsh into a save.

McKee struck the woodwork shortly before the interval but Matt Yates added a second for David Healy’s side in the 51st minute from Sam Taylor’s cross.

Holders Cliftonville take on Coagh United in one of 14 first round ties on Tuesday, 7 October, while Ards’ tie with Dungannon Swifts completes the last 32 on Wednesday, 8 October.

In a change for this year’s competition, the winners of the BetMcLean Cup will automatically go into the Irish Premiership’s European play-off final from next season.

Linfield manager David Healy felt his side “stood firm” in order to bring a single-goal deficit back to Windsor Park for next week’s second leg of their Champions League first qualifying round tie against Shelbourne.

The League of Ireland Premier Division champions got the better of things at Tolka Park courtesy of Mipo Odubeko’s second-half strike.

Coming in with only the Charity Shield final against Dungannon Swifts last week as preparation, and against a side 25 games into their domestic campaign, Healy was pleased with how his side did not allow their hosts to turn plenty of possession into a glut of chances.

While Evan Caffrey twice went close, as did substitute Sean Boyd, the Blues defended resolutely for large periods.

“It was never going to be easy coming down here, they are a very, very good side with talented players,” said Healy.

“It’s disappointing, of course, but in terms of where we are, it’s our first real competitive game. Proud of the effort and the organisation of the players, we stuck together.

“An excitable crowd down here at Tolka Park can sometimes suck the ball into the net and we stood firm and we got ourselves in with a goal deficit.”

Linfield will have the suspended Chris Shields back for next week’s second leg, while Cammy Ballantyne should be available too.

Although Healy felt that Shelbourne play “some of the best football” he has seen in Europe as Linfield manager, he believes his team have “nothing to lose” back at Windsor Park on Wednesday in a game that will be shown live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

“We’ll be better for the game next week at Windsor,” the former Northern Ireland striker added.

“We’ll empty the tank, we’ve got nothing to fear and nothing to lose.”

Linfield will begin the defence of their Irish Premiership title against Dungannon Swifts on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 season.

The Irish League champions will host the Irish Cup winners at Windsor Park on the weekend of Saturday 9 August.

Before that, the teams will meet in the Charity Shield on 4 July, before embarking on their European adventures in the Champions League and Uefa Conference League qualifiers, prior to the start of the domestic season.

Other opening day fixtures see newly promoted Championship winners Bangor host Cliftonville on their return to the top flight, while last season’s runner-up Larne face a trip to big-spending Coleraine.

Crusaders are at home to Carrick Rangers, Glenavon entertain Ballymena United and Portadown host Glentoran in the first round of fixtures.

Highlights of the following weekend see Linfield travel to Ballymena United, Cliftonville play Coleraine and Larne against Crusaders.

A set of six matches are scheduled for the evening of Tuesday 19 August.

The first Belfast ‘Big Two’ encounter of the campaign is scheduled for Saturday 13 September at the Oval.

Ballymena United are set to face Coleraine in their first derby meeting at Warden Street on 11 October, with Crusaders at home to Cliftonville on the same day.

Portadown host Glenavon a week previous on 4 October in the opening mid-Ulster derby.

Larne have home advantage against Carrick Rangers in the east Antrim derby on 20 September.

This year’s traditional Boxing Day matches will see Linfield at home to Glentoran, Ballymena United up against Coleraine, Carrick host Larne, Cliftonville entertain Crusaders, Portadown at home to Glenavon and Dungannon come up against Bangor.

The final set of games in the regular season are set for Friday 20 March, with the post-split fixtures on 28 March, 7 April, 11 April, 18 April and 25 April.

All fixtures are subject to change, with the full list of preliminary fixtures as produced by the Northern Ireland Football League available to view here, external.

Irish Premiership winners Linfield have been drawn against Shelbourne in the first round of Champions League qualifying.

Shelbourne, managed by former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, won their first League of Ireland Premier Division title in 18 years in 2024 after a dramatic final-day victory over Derry City.

David Healy’s Linfield won the Irish Premiership by 22 points in an impressive campaign for the Blues.

The first leg in will take place at Tolka Park on Tuesday 8 or Wednesday 9 July, before the return fixture at Windsor Park on 15 or 16 July.

Cliftonville will find out their Uefa Conference League opponents in the first-round draw at 15:00 BST.

Jim Magilton’s European play-off winners are unseeded and will face one of Icelandic side Vikingur, Partizani of Albania, Floriana from Malta and Gibraltar side St Joseph’s.

Irish Cup winners Dungannon Swifts will discover their second-round opponents on Wednesday.