A bright opening from both teams, plenty of intricate football in the middle of the pitch, but, as yet, no clear cut chances.

James Akintunde is still down receiving treatment and looks to be in a bad way.

The extent of his injury is unknown, but it's definitely a bad one for the Coleraine striker.

An early chance for the visitors as Liam Hassin plays in Ben Cushnie but Dungannon's scramble defence comes to the rescue.

Concern for Coleraine as James Akintunde goes down and looks in extreme discomfort following that attack.

Both sets of players immediately signal for medical attention as Akintunde goes down.

Slightly belatedly, referee Jamie Robinson's whistle starts the action at a sunny Shamrock Park.

For the first time this season, Crusaders start a matchday rooted to the foot of the table.

Can they alter that statistic in the next couple of hours?

Early chance for the visitors before MJ Kamson Kamara comes to the rescue for the Glens.

Off we go at a sun-kissed Oval for this compelling clash between Gibson Cup hopefuls Glentoran and Coleraine.

Dungannon Swifts striker Andrew Mitchell gets us underway at a sun-splashed Stangmore Park.

Both teams come into this game on the back of a defeat.

Can either pick up a vital win this afternoon?

"We have to believe, because if we don't believe, no-one else will, and that's how we have to approach the game."

When Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland step foot in Bergamo for their World Cup play-off with Italy, few will expect them to defeat the four-time champions.

Gennaro Gattuso's side may not be the all-conquering team of old, but they still cannot be underestimated with a squad littered with Serie A and Premier League players.

O'Neill admits it is "very difficult to win" in Italy's backyard, but he is thankful that Northern Ireland "are still in the fight".

"I've always said to the players, don't waste the opportunity," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI.

"Every time you step on the pitch as an international player, you never know when it will be your last opportunity.

"So make sure that you embrace it and you do everything possible."

Image source, Getty Images

Watch highlights as Carrick continued their impressive run and were the victors against Linfield.

Watch highlights as Larne beat Glenavon to extend their advantage at the top of the Irish Premiership table.

Glentoran returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 win over Cliftonville at the Oval in the Irish Premiership.

Daniel Larmour gave the Glens the lead in the 25th minute as he headed home from close range as the hosts looked to bounce back from Sunday's BetMcLean Cup final defeat by Linfield.

A Pat Hoban double after the break sealed the points for the home side in a contest they dominated from start to finish.

Read the full report from Wednesday's action here.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Glentoran boss Declan Devine was left to rue missed chances after a 1-0 defeat by Linfield in the BetMcLean Cup final.

The Glens wasted a host of opportunities before the Blues won it with a penalty deep in extra-time.

KJ Kamson-Kamara brought down Chris McKee, who dusted himself down before slotting home the spot-kick.

"I think we created really good chances and opportunities and with the fine details in games like this you have to take those opportunities," he said.

"Cup finals are about getting that important goal. We've got severely punished for not taking one of those chances because it's the first mistake in the game we've made.

"After working so hard for so long and putting our bodies on the line it's soul destroying.

"It's very raw at the minute, but obviously it's very disappointing to lose and I ca't fault the players because they were outstanding in the game.

"We've a lot of things still to play for but that was a painful way to lose a football game."

Image source, Inpho

Chris McKee scored an extra-time penalty to help Linfield edge past Glentoran 1-0 and win the BetMcLean Cup for a record-extending 13th time.

In what was the first cup decider between the 'Big Two in 16 years, substitute McKee kept his cool from the spot after he was brought down by MJ Kamson-Kamara in the box.

History was made in the final with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used for the first time in Northern Ireland domestic football and the Scottish officials in charge of the technology concurred with Ben McMaster's decision to award the spot kick.

For the first time, Linfield, as winners, have also secured qualification for the Irish Premiership's European play-off final in May.

Image source, Inpho

Watch highlights as Glenavon thrash Crusaders to climb off the bottom of the Irish Premiership table.

Watch highlights as Coleraine were the victors against Cliftonville at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

Ahead of today's matches, here is a reminder of what happened last weekend.

Glenavon climbed off the bottom of the Irish Premiership table with a 3-0 victory over Crusaders, who now occupy the automatic relegation spot.

Ten weeks ago, Crusaders were in 11th position and 12 points clear of Glenavon at the foot of the table.

However, goals from Paddy Burns, Luke McGerrigan and Conor Falls secured the three points for the Lurgan Blues, who leapfrog the Crues thanks to a superior goal difference.

At the Coleraine Showgrounds, Will Patching netted the only goal of the game as Coleraine defeated Cliftonville.

Elsewhere, Ballymena United were the 2-1 victors against Carrick Rangers, who suffer their second defeat in a row.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Two teams whose form has deserted them as the business end of the season approaches go head to head at Shamrock Park.

Portadown, who have taken just one point from their last four league fixtures, make two changes from the side which lost to Linfield in their most recent outing.

Luke Wilson returns from suspension while Lee Chapman is back from injury. They replace Divin Isamala and the suspended Shay McCartan.

Little did Crusaders think when they beat Dungannon in early January that they would still be searching for their next win almost three months later.

Declan Caddell makes four changes from the side which lost their big relegation clash with Glenavon last weekend.

Out go Kurtis Forsythe, Keiran McKechnie, FInley Thorndike and Oli McCart, replaced by Jacob Blaney, Josh WIlliamson, Stewart Nixon and Lloyd Anderson.

Portadown: Moore, Chapman, Altintop, MacKinnon, Traynor, Wilson, Towe, Minzamba, Teelan, Ukek, Fyfe.

Subs: Isamala, Gibson, Tetteh, Obhakhan, Scott, Thompson, Quinn.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Blaney, Rough, Barr, Bruce, Weir, Williamson, Anderson, Maguire, Nixon, Bryden.

Subs: Dibaga, McKechnie, Brooks, Thorndike, Dunlop, Easton, McCart.

Image source, BBC Sport

Two teams with very different aspirations meet at Stangmore Park.

Dungannon can leapfrog Cliftonville into fifth place with victory this afternoon while visitors Bangor will look to ease their relegation play-off fears with a first win in nine games.

Swifts head coach Rodney McAree makes just the one change to the team which started the 2-1 defeat at Larne last Friday as James Knowles comes in for Leo Alves.

Bangor boss Lee Feeney goes one better, his starting XI showing two changes to the side beaten 4-0 by Glentoran 11 days ago.

The big news is that top scorer Ben Arthurs doesn't make the match day squad, while Alfie Mitchell drops to the bench. Their places are taken by club captain Lewis Harrison and Stephen Fallon.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Kelly, Knowles, Dillon, Glenny, McGinty, Doyle, Wallace, Mitchell, Bigirimana (c).

Subs: Henderson, Maguire, Marron, Smith, Devlin, Moore, Liggett.

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

Subs: Duggan, Haughey, O'Mahony, Boyd, Devlin, Morgan, Mitchell.

Referee: Mark Milligan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Larne stretched their lead at the top of the Premiership to five points thanks to a 3-0 victory over Glenavon on Friday night.

All the goals came in the second half with Paul O'Neill heading in the opener before Leroy Millar's close-range finish.

Andy Ryan tapped in with seconds remaining to seal the win at Mourneview Park.

Linfield's faint title hopes were dealt a blow as they went down 2-0 against Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

Blues defender Darragh Leahy was red-carded for a last-man foul on 36 minutes before Matthew Olosunde broke the deadlock just before the break.

Luke McCullough fired home after 72 minutes to double the lead as Linfield fell to a defeat which leaves them 12 points behind Larne with just five games left.

Image source, Pacemaker Press