Iestyn Hughes whips a dangerous low cross across the face of goal that somehow evades everyone in the six-yard box.

That is a let-off for the hosts after a superb delivery from the winger.

It's all the home side so far, but final passes are proving problematic with the slippery surface.

The ball falls kindly for Liam McStravick on the edge of the area and he lets fly with a snap-shot, but it's quickly blocked by Mark Haughey.

Kyle McClean gets proceedings under way for the hosts under the lights in south Belfast.

An early test for the home side as a long ball from Reece Neale searches for the run of Ben Arthurs.

Jonny Addis is alert to the danger and calmly shepherds the ball through to goalkeeper Lewis Ridd.

We are under way on a damp evening at Inver Park. The hosts get us going attacking the McKay Stand which is full of Glentoran fans.

Ben Wylie gets the ball rolling on a damp night at the Showgrounds.

Coleraine have won both previous meetings this season against a visiting team without a league win since Boxing Day.

To make matters worse, you have to go all the way back to New Year's Day 2015 for the last Portadown victory at this ground.

Off we go in north Belfast.

Glenavon get the ball rolling here at a sodden Taylors Avenue.

Will the brave fans who have turned out despite the torrential weather be treated to a goal fest? We are about to find out.

Cliftonville FC have confirmed chairman Keiran Harding has stood down from his role at the north Belfast club.

Directors David Begley and Adrian Keenan have also resigned from their roles.

The announcement follows the news that the Toronto Investment Group (TIG) had withdrawn their investment proposal to complete a takeover of the Irish League club.

Cliftonville confirmed the trio have departed with a brief statement on the club website.

"Cliftonville Football Club confirms the resignation of Chair Kieran Harding, Facilities Director Adrian Keenan and co-opted Director David Begley from the Management Committee," it read.

"It is with great reluctance the resignations are accepted, and recognition and thanks are given to them for their dedication and hard work for the club over the past years.

"The club secretary will advise of the next steps to fill the posts vacated on an interim basis as soon as possible."

Harding became chairman of the north Belfast club two years ago, replacing Begley, after both played and managed in the Irish League.

The proposed TIG takeover proved a major issue between the board and supporters, but Harding, who referenced "a vicious, abusive and threatening campaign to remove us", insists he "always acted in the best interests of the club, whilst protecting its long-term interest."

"Having served as chair of this great club for over two years, I, along with David Begley and Adrian Keenan, today will step down as chair and directors," read Harding's statement.

"Throughout, we have always acted in the best interests of the club, whilst protecting its long-term interest.

"In recent months, we have been subjected to a vicious, abusive and threatening campaign to remove us, for holding others to account, in particular the recent investment proposal from TIG."

It continued: "Having made my position clear that this investment presented significant risk for the club, we have remained in place to ensure due diligence was followed.

"Subsequently, this due diligence has culminated in TIG withdrawing their proposal, and therefore the time has come to step down and avoid any further harm, distress or disrespect.

"It remains our belief that the 'right' investment is required."

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter and Glentoran striker Pat Hoban have won January's Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association awards.

Carrick Rangers made a dreadful start to the new year as they lost 7-0 to Glentoran at Taylors Avenue, a game in which Hoban scored six goals.

However, Baxter's men fought back with league wins against Cliftonville, Dungannon Swifts and Portadown, and they also won the County Antrim Shield for the club's first senior trophy in 33 years.

"I'm sure I'm the first manager to win this award despite losing the first match of the month 7-0," said Baxter.

"I believe the key to our recent success is that we did not panic or get too down on ourselves when we were losing games. I always knew we had the quality to be competitive in this league.

"Winning the Shield was a great moment for everyone at the club, particularly the supporters who waited 33 years for a senior trophy."

For Hoban, his six goals against Carrick helped him to a nine-goal haul for the month as he also netted against Dungannon Swifts and twice against Strabane Athletic in the Irish Cup.

The 34-year-old won the Irish Premiershp Player of the Month award ahead of Carrick forward Adam Lecky and Glentoran midfielder Cammy Palmer.

"As a striker I've always backed myself to score goals. I'm obviously delighted to have 20 in 25 games, although I feel like I probably should have more. I've missed a few chances in certain games, but that's the nature of the job. Overall, it's been a good return so far.

"These awards are nice to receive and it's good recognition for the work you're doing, but I wouldn't be in this position without my teammates. They're the ones putting balls into the box and creating chances for me."

H&W Welders striker Ethan Devine won the Championship player of the month after an impressive month.

The former Linfield and Ballymena United forward scored an incredible nine goals in the month, including a six-minute hat-trick against Armagh City.

Image source, Inpho

It's fourth versus fifth at a wet and windy Windsor Park as Linfield welcome Dungannon Swifts to south Belfast.

Both sides have won three of their last five games in all competitions, with the Blues looking to bounce back following Friday's disappointing Irish Cup defeat to Championship opponents Limavady United.

The visitors won for the first time in their history at Windsor Park two seasons ago, and also won the Charity Shield here on penalties at the beginning of the season, so have plenty of reason to be optimistic ahead of tonight's encounter.

David Healy makes two changes to his starting XI as Adam Frizzell and Sam Taylor come in from the start with Matt Yates and Isaac Baird dropping to the bench.

Rodney McAree makes four alterations of his own with Caolan Marron, Kealan Dillon, Leo Alves and Shea Gordon replacing Danny Wallace, Gael Bigirimana, Sean McAllister and Corey Smith.

Linfield: Johns, East, Millar, McClean (c), Hall, Archer, Frizzell, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Taylor, Leahy.

Subs: Walsh, Gorrin, Allen, McKee, Yates, Brown, Baird.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Marron, Kelly, Dillon, Alves, Glenny, Gordon, McGinty (c), Doyle, Moore.

Subs: Henderson, Knowles, Wallace, Mitchell, Bigirimana, Smith, McAllister.

Image source, BBC Sport

Good evening from a sodden Inver Park where league leaders Larne host 3rd place Glentoran.

Gary Haveron makes four changes from their 2-0 Irish Cup win away to Warrenpoint. In come goal-scorer Tiarnan O'Connor, Leroy Millar, Jordan McEneff and Logan Wallace with Conor McKendry, Ronan Doherty and Matthew Lusty dropping to the bench while Benji Magee misses out entirely.

After their cup clash with Drumaness Mills on Saturday fell foul to the weather, Glentoran boss Declan Devine makes four cahnges from their Leaue Cup semi-final win over Coleraine seven days ago.

Andrew Mills returns in goal while there are first starts for Josh Daniels and Aaron McEneff who comes up against his brother. Also returning to the starting XI is Michael-John Kamara.

Larne: Ferguson, Ridley, Donnelly, Gallagher, O'Neill, O'Connor, Graham, Millar, McEneff, Cosgrove (C), Wallace

Subs: Graham, McKendry, Doherty, Sloan, Ryan, Lusty, Simpson

Glentoran: Mills, Cooney, Kane (C), Thomson, Palmer, Hoban, Stewart, Kamara, Singleton, Daniels, McEneff

Subs: Crellin, Connolly, Burt, Amos, O'Rourke, Jenkins, Douglas

Image source, BBC Sport

Irish Premiership leaders Larne will play either Glentoran or Drumaness Mills in the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup next month.

The Inver Reds have been runners-up six times in the competition without ever lifting the trophy, but advanced to the last eight thanks to a 2-0 win away to Warrenpoint Town on Saturday.

Glentoran were due to take on Drumaness Mills at the Oval in the sixth round but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

The game will now take place on 17 February with the winners hosting Larne on either Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March.

Holders Dungannon Swifts, who came from behind to beat Portadown in the sixth round, will host Harland and Wolff Welders in the last eight with the east Belfast side having eased past Gary Hamilton's Ballymacash Rangers on Saturday.

Limavady United's reward for beating Premiership champions Linfield on Friday night will be a home quarter-final against Coleraine who required extra time to advance past Carrick on Saturday.

Cliftonville, Irish Cup winners in 2024, will travel to Loughgall in the last eight after Jonny Addis' sweetly struck free-kick deep into injury time saw them knock out Glenavon in the sixth round.

Loughgall came through the only all-Championship tie of the sixth round when they beat Institute 2-1.

Irish Cup quarter-final draw

Dungannon Swifts v Harland and Wolff Welders

Glentoran or Drumaness Mills v Larne

Limavady United v Coleraine

Loughgall v Cliftonville

Ties to be played Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March

Image source, Inpho

Jim Magilton makes five changes to the side that edged Glenavon 2-1 in the Irish Cup.

Rory Hale, Joe Gormley and Joe Toole all return, while Kyle McClelland and Adam Carroll are set for their debuts.

The reshuffle is enforced in part by the suspensions of Sean Robertson and Harry Wilson, with Ryan Curran, Brian Healy and Josh Kelly dropping to the bench.

Lee Feeney, meanwhile opts for four alterations following the Seasiders' 3-2 defeat by Carrick Rangers.

Mark Haughey, Ben Arthurs, Stephen McGuinness and Iestyn Hughes come in, replacing Alfie Mitchell, Jay Boyd, Mick Morgan and Lewis Francis.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper, Addis, Hale (c), Leppard, McClelland, Gormley, Glynn, Toole, McStavick, Carroll.

Subs: Balfour, Curran, McKay, J. Kelly, Healy, Hawthorne, Sheridan.

Bangor: Deane, Neale, Haughey, Harrison (c), Hassin, Arthurs, Cushnie, Fallon, Lynch, McGuinness, Hughes.

Subs: Solis Grogan, Mulvanna, O’Mahony, Garrett, Morgan, Boyd, Mitchell.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Cliftonville beat Glenavon 2-1 in the Irish Cup sixth round on Saturday.

Two teams who experienced different fortunes in the Irish Cup on Saturday meet in a vital league game at the Showgrounds.

Bannsiders boss Ruaidhri Higgins makes three changes to the side which began the extra-time victory over Carrick Rangers.

Levi Ives and Jamie McGonigle revert to the bench while Rowan McDonald is absent through injury.

The men taking their places are Dean Jarvis, Will Patching and hat-trick hero from Taylors Avenue, Matthew Shevlin.

Niall Currie's Portadown shows two changes to that which started the defeat to Dungannon Swifts as Josh Ukek and Josh Carson come in at the expense of Shay McCartan and Rayhaan Tulloch.

Interestingly, the visitors arrive on the north coast without a back-up goalkeeper as Aaron McCarey remains sidelined with a calf strain.

Coleraine: Schofield, Jarvis, Boyle, Patching, Shevlin, Cooper, Glackin, Dunne, (c), Wylie, Coyle, Connolly.

Subs: Webb, Ives, McGonigle, Okoro, Akintunde, Watson, Devine.

Portadown: Moore, Altintop, MacKinnon, Wilson, Chapman, Ukek, McCullough (c), Fyfe, Scott, Towe, Carson.

Subs: Isamala, Gibson, Tetteh, Teelan, McCartan, Annett, Quinn.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Dungannon Swifts beat Portadown 2-1 in the Irish Cup sixth round on Saturday.

Carrick boss Stephen Baxter will be hoping to forget about Saturday's chastening 4-1 defeat in the Irish Cup at the hands of Coleraine as his side get back to basics in the Premiership.

This competition has brought success for Rangers of late with four wins on the bounce, and they will be hopeful of making it five against basement side Glenavon tonight.

Baxter makes three changes from the weekend loss, with goalkeeper Scott Pengelly, BJ Burns and Adam Lecky all drafted in.

Glenavon also lost in their cup tie at the weekend at the hands of Cliftonville, the same side they had defeated seven days earlier in the league and they will be hoping to back that win up.

Manager Michael O'Connor also makes three changes. Patrick Burns, Harry Murphy and Peter Campbell are all elevated to the starting line-up.

Quick word on the weather here. The rain is continuing to fall in buckets but the surface looks reasonably well considering, though that may change as the game progresses. We will see.

Carrick Rangers: Pengelly; Place, Burns, Lecky, McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston, Crowe, Snoddy, Steele, Heatley, Gibson.

Subs: Donnelly; Cherry, Glendinning, McCawl, Olosunde, Jeffers, Moore

Glenavon: Carney; McMullan, Burns, Murphy, McKeown (c), Campbell, Ferris, Gilmore, McGovern, Quinn, Mountney.

Subs: Cartwright, Lowe, Harkin, Carlin, Falls, Lindsay, McGerrigan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Matthew Shevlin netted a hat-trick in extra-time to help Coleraine beat Carrick Rangers 4-1 in the Irish Cup sixth round on Saturday.