Portadown manager Niall Currie says his side "need a better performance" than their display against Glenavon when they travel to the Oval to play Glentoran on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

Portadown sealed three points in the Mid-Ulster derby thanks to Luke Wilson's first-half header.

However, Currie acknowledged that his side need more presence upfront ahead of their trip to east Belfast.

"We need to be better," Currie told BBC Sport NI after their victory against the Lurgan Blues.

"We have to be honest about it, we need a better performance than we got against Glenavon, when we got a rugged, dogged performance.

"Our backline, our centre halves and full backs were brilliant and the midfielders, but we need a bit more offensively for sure."

Glentoran's confidence will be high coming into the match after their first ever Boxing Day victory at Windsor Park over Linfield.

As for Niall Currie's side, they will look to register back-to-back league victories for just the third time this season.

"We need to get our wide men more in the game and certainly upfront. Offensively we were poor [against Glenavon] but everyone worked hard collectively without the ball," Currie continued.

"We want to be more on the front foot and create more chances."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Glentoran manager Declan Devine said his side "really deserved" to win their first ever Boxing Day 'Big Two' derby at Windsor Park.

Joe Thomson secured the bragging rights for the east Belfast side with a stylish strike on 29 minutes.

The Glens have now won back-to-back league games after previously going five games without a win.

"I am over the moon. I am delighted for our players who make big sacrifices, as all players do over Christmas and I am delighted for their families," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"I am delighted for our owner because he is a brilliant man to work for, but the most important thing is to send an incredible away support away home happy so they can enjoy their Christmas.

"Even with a tough few weeks, they have stayed behind the team and when I first came to the club unity was key and everyone leaves the building happy.

"It was a really important win, but also one we really deserved."

Thomson broke the deadlock after he was gifted time in the middle of the pitch to stride forward before he found the top corner with a fine finish.

The goal is the midfielder's first of the season, with Devine adding the shot was "simply sensational."

"Thomson has been stop-start since he joined, but we brought him here to score goals and what an absolute goal," Devine continued.

"Our build-up play up to the goal from one side to the other side of the pitch, the lay off and the strike were simply sensational.

"We asked them today to make someone a hero, to go out there and potentially get the winner. To be fair to Joe, he deserved every credit he gets today."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Two teams in desperate need of a win meet at the Showgrounds.

Both Coleraine and Linfield come into tonight's game on the back of successive league losses, with neither wanting to bag an unwanted hat-trick.

Bannsiders' boss Ruaidhri Higgins makes three changes to the team which started the Boxing Day defeat at Ballymena United.

Goalkeeper Ryan Schofield is ill, Jamie Glackin has failed to recover from a shoulder injury picked up on Friday while Zane Okoro is named among the replacements.

Aidan Harris takes over in nets, Lewis McGregor comes in for Glackin while Dean Jarvis returns after suspension.

Linfield head coach David Healy goes one better, making four changes from the festive defeat at home to Glentoran.

Club captain Jamie Mulgrew and Kirk Millar miss out through injury while Isaac Baird and Callumn Morrison drop to the bench.

In their place come Charlie Allen, Christopher McKee, Joshua Archer and Spanish midfielder Alex Gorrin, who makes his first start for the Blues.

Coleraine: Harris, Kane (c), Jarvis, McGregor, Patching, Shevlin, Cooper, Ives, Doherty, Dunne, Stewart.

Subs: Webb, Fallon, McGonigle, McDonald, Okoro, McGrath, Brolly.

Linfield: Johns, Gorrin, McClean (c), Allen, Hall, McKee, Archer, Brown, McGee, Fitzpatrick, McCullough.

Subs: Walsh, Ballantyne, Yates, Baird, Morrison, Graham, Jermakovas.

Image source, BBC Sport

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins lamented his side's failure to turn their possession into tangible reward in the form of goals as the Bannsiders' title aspirations suffered a further significant blow with a 2-0 Boxing Day defeat by Ballymena United.

The loss was a second in succession for Higgins' charges and a fourth in seven Premiership outings.

Coleraine remain second in the league table but are six points adrift of leaders Larne, having played two games more.

"Gutted with the result and I think the two goals that we gave up were in periods where we had momentum in the game, which is the most frustrating thing," Higgins told BBC Sport NI after the game at the Warden Street Showgrounds.

"I think they had two chances in the game through Daire O'Connor and he scored both goals, but it's a derby game on Boxing Day and it's all about the result and we've come out on the wrong end, simple as that.

"We had chances to work Sean O'Neill - he made two unbelievable saves in the first half and we had a load of opportunities around the goalmouth and we haven't capitalised.

"They're the moments in games of football where you need to punish the opposition, when you have momentum and dominance in the game and we didn't do that."

Higgins added that he and the players wanted to reward their large travelling support who had made the trip up the A26 on Friday.

"We took nearly 2000 supporters from Coleraine here today and we wanted to pick up the three points for them and we've failed to do that. It's a really frustrating afternoon."

Next up for Higgins' men is the visit of champion Linfield to Ballycastle Road on Tuesday.

The Blues' 2-0 reverse at the hands of Glentoran meant they also have lost two in a row and are losing ground on leaders Larne.

"We're very clear about the direction we want to go but there are going to be bumps in the road.

"This is a challenge for us as a group. We have Linfield on Tuesday and we have to try and win the game and put in a brave performance.

"You're going to kicks in the teeth along the way but it's about how you bounce back and we've got to roll our sleeves up."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Watch highlights from Glentoran's first ever Boxing Day derby victory at Windsor Park.

Linfield manager David Healy says his side "need a little bit more fire in their bellies" after their first ever Boxing Day 'Big Two' derby defeat at Windsor Park.

Joe Thomson's goal secured the three points for the east Belfast side and ended the Blues' 41-year unbeaten home record on Boxing Day.

The result also means that the defending champions have lost their past two games after going down 2-1 to bottom of the table Glenavon.

"I don't think there was too much in the game. I think Glentoran, to their credit, were slightly better. We huffed and puffed a little bit," Healy told BBC Sport NI.

"It is always disappointing to lose a derby, especially coming off the back of a loss last week. It's important that we responded in some sort of way and we didn't today.

"I can take as much responsibility as I can and want to do but, when the players cross the line, they need a little bit more fire in their belly and a bit more today and we just couldn't get that."

The Blues have won just one of their past four league games and are now 13 points behind league leaders Larne.

Linfield return to action mid-week when they travel to the Coleraine Showgrounds to face Ruaidhri Higgins' side on Tuesday, with Healy adding that his team will need a "better performance" against the Bannsiders.

"Certainly not ideal. We are miles off it," Healy continued when asked about their position in the Irish Premiership table.

"We are taking it game by game. We will look at the Coleraine game, try to get a better performance and a better result.

"Coleraine is a difficult place to go. I know there were beaten in their derby so they will look for a response."

Image source, Press Eye

Gary Haveron makes one tweak to his Larne line-up from the 2-1 win over Carrick Rangers, with Sean Graham replacing Ryan Nolan.

There’s a major boost on the bench as Andy Ryan returns to the squad after a long injury lay-off.

Jim Magilton rings the changes for Cliftonville, with five players coming in following the defeat to Crusaders.

Lewis Ridd, Conor Pepper, Conor Falls, Michael Glynn and Adebayo Fapetu all start, with Peter Morrison, Thomas Lavery, Rory Hale, Ryan Curran and Joe Sheridan dropping out.

Larne: Ferguson, Ridley, Donnelly, Gallagher, O’Neill, S. Graham, Magee, Millar (C), McEneff, Wallace, Simpson.

Subs: D. Graham, Nolan, Cosgrove, Moore, Ryan, Lusty, Austin.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper, Addis (C), Wilson, Falls, Glynn, Casey, Keaney, McWoods, Hawthorne, Fapetu.

Subs: Murray, Lavery, Curran, Leppard, McCay, Gormley, Sheridan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton says his team must be up for the challenge of facing a "top-class" Larne side at Inver Park on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Reds' recent eight-game unbeaten run in the league was ended by a 2-1 defeat by Crusaders at Solitude on Boxing Day, their sixth loss of the season.

They now face a trip to the league leaders, who are unbeaten in their last 11 league games and Magilton is urging his players to show a response to their disappointing display against the Crues on Friday.

"Larne are a top-class side and we know going down there it is always a difficult game; we have to be ready and match them and come out with a bit more," he told BBC Sport NI.

"One thing you can never be done on is work ethic, attitude, and application – and [on Boxing Day], we were."

Magilton has demanded more from his side than they showed at Solitude against the Crues as they aim to get back to winning ways and stay in the top six.

"We didn't work hard enough without the ball or with it. We were nowhere near our levels; we looked lethargic and there were a lot of poor performances [on Friday]," he added.

"We have to lick our wounds and go again, that wasn't acceptable."

Image source, Inpho

Larne assistant manager Keith O'Hara says that the Inver Reds showed "great strength and determination" in their 2-1 Boxing Day victory against Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

It was the home side who went ahead shortly after the restart when Paul Heatley converted after a pass from BJ Burns.

However, goals from Tiarnan O'Connor and Paul O'Neill in the final 10 minutes extended the Inver Reds' unbeaten run to 11 games.

"It is a tough place to come," O'Hara told BBC Sport NI.

"Obviously to go a goal down and for us to score two goals and with a late winner, it is a nice feeling.

"We had a few illnesses and light injuries, and it shows great strength and determination from the boys who were given the opportunity to showcase themselves."

Carrick are now without a win in their last seven league matches with manager Stephen Baxter admitting that he was frustrated that his side didn't come away from the east Antrim derby with anything.

"We got a great goal. BJ Burns' pass to open the game up for Paul Heatley and the quality of his finish are superb," Baxter said.

"There is a bit of disappointment in here today as we have played really well.

"They [Larne] are going to be a team challenging to win the league this year and we were as good, if not better than them today."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Watch highlights as Larne leave it late, but come from behind to beat Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue and extend their advantage at the top of the Irish Premiership.

The most anticipated series of fixtures in the Irish Premiership season - the traditional Boxing Day derbies - threw up their fair share of drama and excitement on Friday.

Leaders Larne looked to be on the brink of a first league defeat in 11 outings as they trailed Carrick Rangers but two late goals saw them stretch their impressive unbeaten record and extend their lead at the summit over the chasing pack.

Glentoran made history with a first-ever festive derby win over big Belfast rivals Linfield at Windsor Park while the other four fixtures all produced decisive outcomes with victories for Crusaders, Ballymena United, Portadown and Dungannon Swifts.

Read Richard Petrie's full article here.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Here is a look at the Irish Premiership table ahead of tonight's games.

Image source, BBC Sport

Have you recovered from the Boxing Day derbies yet?! If so, strap in for six more Irish Premiership fixtures tonight.

Both Coleraine and Linfield will look to quickly put Boxing Day disappointments behind them with their match at the Coleraine Showgrounds live on the BBC iPlayer and app this evening.

At Inver Park, Larne will be hoping to extend their advantage at the top of the table when they host Cliftonville, whose eight-game unbeaten run came to an end on Boxing Day during the north Belfast derby.

Crusaders host Carrick Rangers with the home side aiming to register back-to-back league victories for just the second time this season.

Off the back of derby day delight at Windsor Park, Glentoran return to home action and welcome Niall Currie's Portadown to east Belfast.

Elsewhere, Glenavon host in-form Dungannon Swifts and Bangor welcome Ballymena United with the Sky Blues winning both encounters when the sides met earlier this season.

We'll keep you right across all the action as it unfolds throughout the evening, with Sportsound on air from 19:30 GMT, text updates, in-play clips, a report and highlights from all six games as well as post-match reaction.

Thanks for joining us. Enjoy!

Image source, BBC Sport