A chance for Linfield inside the opening 60 seconds as Kyle McClean digs out a cross from the left.

Isaac Baird meets it with a header but it lacks the power to beat Jonny Tuffey who saves easily.

Referee Declan Hassan blows the whistle to get us started at Shamrock Park.

Can Portadown make it two wins in a row, or will Oran Kearney pick up the three points in his first game as Ballymena manager?

Straight from kick-off, Glenavon keeper Mark Byrne goes route one and picks out Niall Quinn high on the left.

His whipped cross threatens to cause early panic, but Jonny Addis clears inside the six-yard area.

Referee Steven Gregg starts the action on a drab afternoon in south Belfast.

We are under way at a wet and windy Taylor's Avenue. The hosts get us going, kicking left to right on referee Mark Milligan's whistle.

It's 11th v 5th, here we go!

Referee Louise Thompson whistles to get the ball rolling in north Belfast, where the visitors are searching for a first league win at Solitude since May 2018.

Can Michael O’Connor’s men finally put an end to that long wait this afternoon?

The hosts make two changes from last weekend's defeat at the Coleraine Showgrounds with Ben Buchanan-Rolleston and Paul Heatley coming into the side in place of Aidan Steele and Ryan McKay.

For the Swifts, Rodney McAree makes five changes from last week's win at the Ballymena Showgrounds. In come Peter Maguire, James Knowles, Mal Smith and Bobby-Jack McAleese.

Carrick Rangers: Gartside, Burns, Callacher, Gibson, Lecky, McCullough (C), Buchanan-Rolleston, Crowe, Cherry, Heatley, Snoddy

Subs: Pengelley, Waide, Clucas, Steele, McKay, Scott, McCawl

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, P. Maguire, Knowles, Dillon, Glenny, McGinty (C), Smith, McAleese, Wallace, Mitchell, Junior

Subs: Glass, S. Scott, T. Maguire, Callan, Johnston, Liggett, McAllister

Image source, BBC Sport

Jim Magilton makes two changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Glentoran, with Rory Hale and Ryan Curran coming into the starting XI as Conor Pepper serves a suspension and Conor Falls is named among the substitutes.

Michael O’Connor also shuffles his pack following last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Bangor, with Kyle McClelland and Bridel Bosakani drafted in.

Peter Campbell is sidelined through injury, while Corey Smith drops to the bench.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Lavery, Addis, H. Wilson, Hale, Curran, Casey, Keaney, McWoods, Hawthorne, Sheridan.

Subs: Ridd, Falls, Leppard, Gormley, Barr, Fapetu, Tohill.

Glenavon: Byrne, McMullan, Burns, Murphy, McKeown, Malone, O’Kane, McClelland, Bosakani, McGovern, Quinn.

Subs: Hamill, Mallon, B. Wilson, Kee, Smith, McGerrigan, McShane.

Image source, BBC Sport

Linfield make one change from last week as they aim to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.

Experienced skipper Jamie Mulgrew replaces Sean Brown in the Blues' only switch from their 0-0 draw at Larne eight days ago.

Crusaders boss Declan Caddell didn't hold back in his criticism of his side's 4-0 home defeat by Portadown and he responds by making three changes today.

Brendan Hamilton, Finley Thorndike and Lewis Barr all earn starting spots at the expense of Jacob Blaney, Jordan Forsythe and Elliot Dunlop.

Linfield: Johns, McGee, Hall, Roscoe, McCullough, Baird, Mulgrew, McClean, Millar, Morrison, Fitzpatrick.

Subs: Walsh, Gorrin, Allen, Archer, Brown, Taylor, Graham.

Crusaders: Tuffey, K Forsythe, Easton, Barr, O'Rourke, Hamilton, Williamson, Anderson, Thorndike, Brooks, Bryden.

Subs: Dibaga, Dunlop, J Forsythe, McCart, Clarke, Donnelly, Beattie.

Image source, BBC Sport

Niall Currie has named an unchanged line-up from the team who were the 4-0 winners last time out against Crusaders.

He will be hoping for similar performances from Ben Wylie who grabbed a double during the game, as well as the in-form Eamon Fyfe who extended his goal tally this season to eight.

New Ballymena boss, Oran Kearney, makes two changes to interim manager Ciaran Caldwell's squad which lost 2-1 to Dungannon Swifts.

Joel Thompson and Zach Nolan are replaced by Matthew Clarke and Dylan McGeouch as the new boss aims to make his mark.

Portadown: McCarey, Isamala, Altintop, MacKinnon, Chapman, Wylie, McCullough, Gibson, Fyfe, Teelan, Thompson (C).

Subs: Moore, Rea, Ukek, Mayse, McCartan, Annet, Quinn.

Ballymena United: Breen, Lafferty, Toure, Jarvis, O'Connor, O,Donnell (C), Clarke, McGeouch, Edogun, McCallion, Corbally

Subs: O'Neill, Gould, McEleney, O'Reilly, Thompson, Taylor, Hood.

Image source, BBC Sport

First game as new Ballymena United manager and one of Oran Kearney’s first duties is to speak to Joel Taggart for Sportsound.

Image source, Eric White

Former Dungannon Swifts and Coleraine manager Dean Shiels speaking on BBC Radio Ulster about his brother-in-law, Oran Kearney, becoming the new Ballymena United boss:

"I was not surprised that he is back in the game, more surprised the job came up.

"I think once the Ballymena job came up, it is a great fit for Oran.

"His job being close in Ballycastle and it is part time which suits him as well.

"It is a good club and a good opportunity for Oran to get back in. He has been hungry to do so, and I think it is a perfect fit for him."

New Ballymena United manager Oran Kearney says he wants to see his side make gradual progress as they attempt to move up the Irish Premiership table and make an impression in the cup competitions in the second half of the season.

The former Coleraine boss was appointed as Jim Ervin's successor last weekend after the former Linfield and Ballymena defender parted ways with the Sky Blues on 30 November.

United sit ninth in the league standings, having picked up just 11 points from a possible 45 from their past 15 top-flight outings.

Kearney's first game in charge will be Saturday's trip to face Portadown at Shamrock Park, followed by a home match against Carrick Rangers the following week.

In January, his team face a testing Irish Cup fifth round tie at home to Larne and a BetMcLean Cup semi-final away to Linfield.

"I just want to get better, we want a good strong second half of the season, a good off season in relation to changes that we make, and it's just about progression," said Kearney in an interview with BBC Sport NI's Thomas Niblock.

"When I look at other clubs I've been at it's about getting things the way that you want them and and making progress game-by-game, month-by-month, year-by-year.

"For me the most important thing is getting a team out there that can win games of football, bring as many supporters to the ground as possible and hopefully have a successful period."

Read more of what the new Ballymena boss had to say here.

Image source, Inpho

Oran Kearney was appointed as the new manager of Ballymena United last Sunday.

Kearney took over from interim boss Ciaran Caldwell and has been joined by former Cliftonville midfielder Barry Johnston as his assistant, with Michael Doherty arriving as goalkeeping coach.

Jim Ervin departed as manager seven days previously following an up and down run of results, with the Braidmen since defeating Larne in the BetMcLean Cup but losing to 2-1 at home to Dungannon Swifts in the Premiership where they currently occupy ninth place.

The 47-year-old is a former player at the club, making 121 appearances and scoring 34 goals between 2002 and 2005.

"I'm very excited, it's been a whirlwind week," he told Ballymena United's website.

"There's a real urgency to want to do well and a desire for success. It'll be a challenge, but I think this club has the infrastructure, the fan base and a lot of good things going for it.

"We will look to develop a relationship with the players and try and put my stamp on things as soon as possible. Everybody starts on a clean slate, it's up to players to impress in training to get into the team and move us forward.

"I had an enjoyable time here as a player and in recent days a lot of those emotions have come back from my time playing here. I urge the fans to get behind me and the players and push us on for this second half of the season."

Since retiring as a player, Kearney has enjoyed a successful managerial career, winning the 2018 Irish Cup and 2020 League Cup during two spells with Coleraine which sandwiched a brief stint with Scottish club St Mirren.

He stepped down as manager in 2024 to assume the role of sporting director, but left that position earlier this year.

Kearney's first game in charge will be today's trip to Portadown before his first home game the following week against Carrick Rangers.

Image source, Inpho

On Wednesday. Coleraine announced the pre-contract signing of defender Mark Connolly, who is set to be available for the Bannsiders when the January transfer window opens.

The Clones native spent the past three and a half years at Derry City. making 115 appearances, 38 of them as club captain, and helped the side win the FAI Cup in his first season in 2022.

Connolly will link up again with manager Ruaidhri Higgins, who first brought him to the Brandywell from Scottish Premiership side Dundee United following a loan spell at Dundalk.

"I worked with Mark for a few years and he's a player I know really, really well.

"He will bring great value to the squad. He's obviously really well experienced but he's a really good footballer as well," Higgins said.

"Mark suits how we want to play and he'll certainly give us that know-how and experience that we will need heading into the second half of the season and further on as well."

Read more here.

Image source, Inpho

Irish Premiership leaders Coleraine will host Crusaders in the fifth round of the Irish Cup, the draw for which was made on Tuesday.

It is one of three all-Irish Premiership ties as the 12 top-flight sides and 12 Championship teams entered the draw.

Larne, looking to win the competition for the first time, will travel to Ballymena United while record 44-time winners Linfield will host Bangor.

Holders Dungannon Swifts will start their defence against Championship outfit Ards while Cliftonville, last year's beaten finalists, will also host second-tier opposition in Dundela.

Annagh United will make the short trip to Portadown after the Championship side stunned the Ports in last year's fifth round.

Glenavon, who are bottom of the Irish Premiership got a home draw against Newington, while Glentoran will head west to face Premier Intermediate side Strabane Athletic.

Carrick Rangers, who will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their famous 1976 Irish Cup win next year, host Queen's University.

Comber Rec will travel to Ballymacash Rangers, H&W Welders travel to Moyola Park, Limavady United host Lisburn Rangers and Armagh City take on Drumaness Mills.

Lisburn Distillery host Warrenpoint Town, Ballinamallard United take on fellow Championship side Institute and Knockbreda will take on Loughgall.

Image source, Inpho

Glentoran manager Declan Devine lamented his side's lack of a clinical edge in their 1-0 loss to Larne in Friday's Irish Premiership game at Inver Park.

Benji Magee drilled home a low shot with eight minutes remaining of the encounter, leaving the Glens without a win from their past five top division matches.

Devine's side, who have collected just two points from those five outings, lie 11 points adrift of Larne and Coleraine, who sit top of the league table on goal difference.

"We have to look at ourselves in terms of not taking opportunities. We've dominated the game against a good side away from home at a difficult venue," bemoaned the Glens boss.

"We've given up one opportunity in the game and we've got punished, yet we've created four or five good chances and not taken them.

"It's a very difficult time for us at the moment because our performances haven't been bad in recent games but our points tally has been poor. There's no shying away from that.

"You can have all the domination that you want but at the end of the day it comes down to having three points in the bag. You've got to put that ball in the back of the net."

Read more here.

Image source, Pacemaker

Larne manager Gary Haveron has praised the match-winning contribution of forward Benji Magee, who came off the bench to score a brilliant goal eight minutes from time to secure a 1-0 victory over Glentoran at Inver Park on Friday night.

The moment of individual brilliance from the former Loughgall front man saw him drift away from Cameron Palmer and rifle a low drive past Andrew Mills from just outside the penalty area.

The victory has the Invermen level on points with Coleraine at the top of the table, trailing only on goal difference, but with two games in hand over the leaders.

Read more here

Image source, pacemaker

Benji Magee scored the winning goal with eight minutes remaining as Larne defeated Glentoran 1-0 in the Irish Premiership.

Read the match report here