Liam Burt has a shooting chance on the edge of the Larne area but he instead cushions a pass into the path of Joe Thomson, whose shot is blocked behind by Jordan McEneff.

Larne's Conor McKendry gets himself into a crossing position on the right hand side of the penalty area but he is quickly smothered by two Glentoran defenders and the chance passes.

It's been a fairly cautious opening from both sides against a backdrop of a great atmosphere from fans at both ends of the ground.

Good work from Zane Okoro on the right wing for Coleraine but his misplaced pass is picked off by a covering Bangor defender.

Referee Tim Marshall's whistle starts the action at Inver Park.

Bangor's Michael Morgan gets us under way at a bitterly cold Ballycastle Road for a second meeting of the season between these teams.

Tonight's visitors claimed the points at Clandeboye Park back in October but will Coleraine get their revenge tonight?

We shall see...

Larne make two changes from the scoreless draw against Linfield at the same venue seven days ago.

In-form midfielder Mark Randall misses out with a back problem, while defender Ryan Nolan reverts to the bench.

Paul O'Neill and Jordan McEneff are the two players introduced into the starting line-up by manager Gary Haveron.

Glentoran - who have manager Declan Devine back in the dugout following a bout of illness - make one change from their stirring comeback in last week's 2-2 draw with Cliftonville with Johnny Russell replacing the ill David Fisher.

Larne: Ferguson, Cosgrove, Ridley, Donnelly, S Graham, Gallagher, McEneff, Millar, McKendry, O'Connor, O'Neill.

Subs: D Graham, Magee, Nolan, Moore, Lusty, Wallace, Simpson.

Glentoran: Mills, Cooney, Kamson Kamara, Kane, Russell, Singleton, Palmer, Thomson, Burt, Stewart, Hoban.

Subs: Crellin, Connolly, Pattisson, Ferris, Larmour, Jenkins, Douglas.

Image source, BBC Sport

It's the Bannsiders against the Seasiders as the hosts look to cement their place at the top of the table against this season's surprise package.

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins makes four changes to the team which began last Saturday's 3-1 victory against Crusaders at the Showgrounds.

Out go goalkeeper Aidan Harris, Jamie Glackin and the suspended Dylan Boyle, none of whom make the matchday squad, while Lewis McGregor starts on the bench.

In come goalkeeper Ryan Schofield, making a long-awaited competitive debut for the club after recovering from an injury picked up in pre-season, Dean Jarvis, Ronan Doherty and Joel Cooper.

Bangor boss Lee Feeney's starting XI, meanwhile, shows just the one change from the team which defeated Glenavon at Mourneview Park six days ago.

Harry Lynch drops out of the squad altogether and his place is taken by Liam Hassin.

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

Subs: Webb, McGregor, McGonigle, McGrath, Watson, Brolly, McManus.

Bangor: Grogan, Neale, Harrison, Hassin, Arthurs, O'Mahony, Lynch, Francis, Devlin, Morgan, McGuinness.

Subs: McMahon, Haughey, Mulvenna, Cushnie, Boyd, Burns, Mitchell.

Referee: Tony Clarke.

Image source, BBC Sport

The Irish Cup fifth-round game between Coleraine and Crusaders will be shown live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

In one of three all-Premiership ties, Ruaidhri Higgins' side will welcome the Crues to the Coleraine Showgrounds on Friday, 9 January at 19:45 GMT.

Coleraine last won the Irish Cup in 2018, beating Cliftonville 3-1 in the final.

Crusaders won back-to-back Irish Cups in 2022 and 2023, defeating Ballymena United in both finals.

The Bannsiders lead the Irish Premiership table, while Declan Caddell's side languish in 10th after a difficult start to the season.

Coleraine have won both the league meetings between the two sides at Seaview this season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Larne boss Gary Haveron expects Glentoran will "come and have a go" when the sides meet at Inver Park tonight.

The Inver Park side are second in the table on goal difference and are unbeaten in their previous eight league games.

Glentoran are eight points behind in fourth after an inconsistent run, but Haveron is wary of the attacking talent the Glens possess as the two teams prepare to meet for the first time this season.

"They're a massive threat and they'll come here and have a go, you have to when you're a team like Glentoran," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

"They'll not sit off us, they'll come here and try win the game and that's what we want, two teams to come out and have a go, it sets up a really interesting game."

Larne enjoyed victories over leaders Coleraine and fellow top-half side Dungannon Swifts during their winning run in November, and they began December with a 0-0 home draw against champions Linfield.

Haveron is hopeful for another positive result against the Glens to help Larne keep pace at the top of the table despite their difficult run of fixtures.

"We've had a big month; we had Coleraine, then Dungannon, then coming into the Blues and the Glens off the back of each other, it's four tough games against the top four teams in the league," he added.

"They're all going to be nip and tuck, there isn't going to be much in it. Right now, we're seven [points] from nine, if you told me that at the start of the run I would have taken it."

Glentoran assistant Paddy McCourt wants his side to build on their dominant second-half display against Cliftonville last weekend, where they fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at the Oval.

"Larne away is a big game, always a tough game," he said.

"We're going into it off the back of a really good second-half performance and hopefully that will give us confidence going into the game."

Here is how the table looks ahead of tonight's two Irish Premiership games.

Larne host Glentoran and Bangor travel to Coleraine.

Image source, BBC Sport

Evening, all.

It's time for some Friday night football and it's a big one as Glentoran travel to Inver Park to take on Larne.

You'll be able to watch it live on BBC iPlayer and right here, and Paul Leeman joins Michael Clarke on commentary.

We'll also have live updates and clips from Coleraine's game with Bangor so you'll be able to stay right up to date with that one too.

Thanks for joining us.