Darren Murphy’s Boxing Day Irish Premiership Forecasts

Darren Murphy presents his predictions for the upcoming Boxing Day Premiership matches. For the Coleraine v Ballymena Utd match, scheduled for 15:00 GMT with coverage available on Sportsound via BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, Murphy notes the current excitement at Coleraine following the announcement of Joel Cooper’s pre-contract signing and rumors of other potential new players. He stated, “I didn’t really appreciate how big a game this was until I was involved as a player at Ballymena.” Ballymena Utd enters the game after a victory but will be without Josh Carson and Ben Kennedy due to suspension. Murphy believes Coleraine must secure wins to achieve their goal of a top-six finish, predicting, “I’m going to say they’ll go all out to win the game.” His prediction for the score is 2-1. Regarding the Crusaders v Cliftonville fixture, also at 15:00 GMT and broadcast on Sportsound via BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, Murphy observes that the “Crues” have experienced a difficult period with poor form. Cliftonville, meanwhile, is recovering from a disappointing loss to Glentoran. Murphy commented, “Again, a very tough one to call but Cliftonville need to get back on track so I’m going for them to win.” He forecasts a 1-2 scoreline. For the Dungannon Swifts v Loughgall match, set for 15:00 GMT with coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, Murphy acknowledges that both teams have “worked very hard to get where they are.” However, he believes the Swifts possess “that wee bit more quality,” leading him to predict their victory. He notes that while both managers will seek a rebound after recent losses, Rodney McAree will likely be content with his team’s performance in their 1-0 defeats against Linfield and Larne, stating, “They were very, very competitive in both games.” His prediction is 2-0. For the Glenavon v Portadown game, scheduled for 15:00 GMT with coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, Murphy observes that Paddy McLaughlin has secured his initial home victory as Glenavon manager against Crusaders and has his team performing well. Nevertheless, he states that Portadown is currently “flying,” adding, “I can’t see anything other than a win for Niall Currie’s side.” Turning to the Glentoran v Linfield fixture at The Oval, also at 15:00 GMT and covered by Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, Murphy highlights it as a “special occasion” and the “Boxing Day Big Two encounter” as “without doubt, one of the highlights of the season.” He recalled, “I was fortunate to be involved in some of them as a player and a coach at Linfield.” Murphy notes Glentoran’s “fantastic form” and the “unheard of” fact that Linfield has lost all three previous encounters between the teams this season. He predicts, “I think Linfield will go there and try to make a point and they won’t lose this one.” His score prediction is 2-2. The final match prediction is for Larne v Carrick Rangers, commencing at 15:00 GMT, with coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster. Murphy commends Larne for their recent wins against Gent and Dungannon on Monday night. With their European campaign concluded, he believes they can now focus on securing a third consecutive league title and re-qualifying for Europe. He concludes, “I’m going for a Larne victory.”