McAteer applies finishing touch as Ipswich go up

Ipswich clinched promotion back to the Premier League following a 3-0 victory over QPR at Portman Road.

Two goals from George Hirst and Jaden Philogene in a devastating opening nine minutes eased any nerves and Republic of Ireland international Kasey McAteer grabbed a third five minutes from time.

The result means Fermanagh's Kieran McKenna is the first Town manager to mastermind three promotions – two to the top flight.

Captain Dara O'Shea completed a remarkable season, the Republic of Ireland defender playing every single minute of the promotion-winning campaign.

Hull secured their place in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs thanks to a brace from Oli McBurnie during a 2-1 comeback win at home to Norwich.

With Wrexham and Derby having both faltered, the Tigers seized their moment to regain a top-six finish – a position in which they have occupied for most of the season – after they came from behind at the MKM Stadium.

Norwich were the best side in the Championship last month and, even with nothing to play for other than personal pride and improved contract negotiations, deservedly opened the scoring through Mo Toure.

Hull had been awful until that 26th-minute goal, but charged back into the game two minutes later when McBurnie equalised from the penalty spot.

And with favourable results elsewhere, Hull fans were left to dream of a potential return to the Premier League after McBurnie stabbed home his 20th goal of the season after 67 minutes.

FINAL TABLE

Wrexham's hopes of a historic fourth consecutive promotion were ended with a 2-2 Sky Bet Championship draw against Middlesbrough at the SToK Cae Ras.

Middlesbrough will head to the play-offs after finishing fifth,with Southampton awaiting them in the semi-final, while Wrexham end up in seventh.

On a see-saw afternoon in which they started inside the top six, Wrexham were quickly outside it when Tommy Conway put Boro ahead after four minutes.

Wrexham were back above the dotted line when Josh Windass and Sam Smith struck, but David Strelec equalised just before the end of an eventful first half.

Neither side could find the winner which would have impacted them – fourth place would have given Boro semi-final home advantage in the second leg – but it was not for the want of trying.

An Ellis Simms hat-trick and a Viktor Torp piledriver ensured that Coventry signed off on their title-winning season in style with a one-sided 4-0 victory over a sorry Watford side at Vicarage Road.

Cheered on by around 2,000 fans bedecked in sky blue, Frank Lampard's side ended a memorable season with 95 points and 97 goals.

By contrast, swathes of empty seats in the Watford sections spoke volumes about the apathy that has engulfed a club which appears to be directionless after another mediocre mid-table campaign.

What was even more damning for the home side was that Lampard chose to give some of his squad players a final day in the sun before the inevitable personnel changes that will be made before their first Premier League season since 2000-01.

Adam Idah (below) came off the bench to score twice as Swansea ended their season with a 3-1 win at home to Charlton.

The Republic of Ireland international was introduced in the 65th minute and then struck twice in nine minutes, either side of a Miles Leaburn equaliser for Charlton.

Fellow substitute Leo Walta scored a stunning free-kick in the 88th minute - his first goal for the club - as the Swans confirmed an 11th-placed finish for the second consecutive season, but with three more points than last term.

Defeat saw Charlton finish the campaign with just one victory in their last nine games, but 19th place in the second tier - after promotion from League One last season - is their highest finish for 11 years.

Stephy Mavididi gave League One-bound Leicester something to cheer about at the end of a miserable campaign as his late goal secured a 1-0 win at Blackburn.

Ten years to the day after the Foxes were crowned Premier League champions, Mavididi's 78th-minute strike saw Leicester pick up just their second win in the last 21 games of a dismal season which has seen them drop into the third tier for only the second time in their 142-year history.

Blackburn had only ensured their own safety with a win at Sheffield United last time out and could not follow it up as they passed up several excellent chances early in the second half.

But this was only their fifth defeat in 15 games under Michael O’Neill and fans remain keen for the 56-year-old to stay on next season if a deal can be reached with the Irish Football Association to prise him out of his role as Northern Ireland boss.

Adrian Segecic's excellent end-of-season form continued as Portsmouth played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Birmingham at Fratton Park.

The south-coast club took the lead after only eight minutes when the in-form Segecic fired home from 12 yards from Jordan Williams’ cross.

It was the Australian-born Croatian’s 11th goal of his maiden Sky Bet Championship season and fifth in his last three games.

The visitors did hit back in the 19th minute thanks to August Priske’s far-post header from Kai Wagner’s corner.

Sheffield Wednesday claimed their first Championship home win of the season in front of new owner David Storch as they beat West Brom 2-1 to finally wipe out their 18-point deduction.

Arise Capital Partners, which is led by Storch, has completed the acquisition of the Owls and the American was out on the pitch before kick-off to address the fans of his new club.

The new owner also confirmed that the Owls would be starting life in League One without a points deduction, much to the delight of the sold out home crowd.

And they were then treated to a first home win since April 21, 2025 thanks to first-half goals from Nathaniel Chalobah and Liam Palmer.

Click here to read article