Coleraine board issue statement backing Kearney

Coleraine's board of directors issued a statement on New Year's Eve backing manager Oran Kearney.

The Loughgall reverse followed the 3-1 Boxing Day derby defeat by Ballymena.

"We continue to believe that the current management are best placed to lead us forward into the New Year and beyond," said the Coleraine statement.

The statement also hit out at personal criticism levelled at the manager and the players.

"The board of Coleraine FC acknowledges recent first team results have been disappointing, even with a number of complicating factors impacting the team," said the statement.

"However, for over 12 seasons, Oran has been central to our club's journey, kick-starting football careers and providing collective success to the town and surrounding community.

"Like with any football club there have been challenges and set-backs over those 12 seasons, but they are insignificant when we look at the six cup finals and four European campaign runs that Oran has led the team on.

"Whilst results on the pitch have been disappointing, we have been alarmed by the level of animosity directed at Oran and the team, particularly on social media by a small minority of supporters."

The statement concluded with an appeal to the club's supporters to "get behind the team and coaching staff" for the club's future fixtures which will start with Friday's Irish Cup home tie against Cliftonville.

Ards part company with Tipton

Also on New Year's Eve, Championship club Ards announced that they had parted company with manager Matthew Tipton.

A statement from Ards chairman Warren Patton thanked Tipton "for his efforts over the past two years" but added that the club felt "it was time for a change of direction".

The former Warrenpoint Town and Portadown boss was appointed as manager in February 2022 and guided Ards to fifth and seventh-placed finishes in the Championship.

Ards have dropped to 10th spot in the Championship having not won in six games since beating leaders Dundela 4-0 on 25 November.

They followed that with a 3-1 defeat by Newington and further reverse have come in December against Portadown and Institute, along with 2-2 draws against Ballinamallard and Bangor, the last of which came on Boxing Day.