Preston North End loanee Andy Boyle helps loan club Ross County to Challenge Cup final

The Preston North End defender was part of the Staggies side that beat East Fife 2-1 in the semi-finals of the Scottish Challenge Cup on Friday night.

Boyle’s side will now play Connah’s Quay or Edinburgh City in the final, the Irishman on loan in Dingwall until the end of his North End contract in the summer.

Elsewhere on the loan front, Graham Burke played 85 minutes of Gillingham’s 1-0 win over Scunthorpe United as the Gills picked up a big three points at the bottom of League One to move out of the relegation zone.

The forward has started all three games since making the move to Priestfield on transfer deadline day in January.

Also in the third tier, Chris Maxwell watched on from the bench as Charlton Athletic battled to a 0-0 draw with Blackpool at the Valley, the keeper still waiting for his

Addicks debut.

In League Two, midfielder Ben Pringle started Tranmere Rovers’ 0-0 draw at Cambridge before being withdrawn after 66 minutes.

PNE’s teenage striker Connor Simpson did n’t see any action for Carlisle as he stayed on the bench for the Cumbrians’ 3-2 defeat at home to MK Dons as the promotion race hots up.

In non-league, young winger Michael Howard came on as a late substitute for Stalybridge Celtic in their 1-0 defeat at Gainsborough Trinity in the NPL Premier Division, while in the NPL

West Division Tom Stead captained Kendal Town as they went down 3-1 at home to Glossop North End.

Over in Ireland, Kevin O’Connor was a late call-up for Cork City’s League of Ireland opener at St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night.

Originally named on the bench, the left-footer took Gearóid Morrissey’s place in the starting XI and played the first hour but could n’t stop his side going down to a 1-0 defeat.

O’Connor had returned to his former club in style, scoring a stunning free-kick in their President’s Cup win over Dundalk.

In the Dutch second tier, Marnick Vermijl played the full 90 minutes on Friday night as MVV Maastricht were 4-2 winners over Jong FC Utrecht.

The Belgian is on loan in Holland until the end of the season when his PNE contract expires, Vermijl having fallen way down the pecking order.