First chance of the games goes the way of Linfield and Matt Yates should perhaps do better.

Dane McCullough's cross from the left is met on the head by Yates, who can't direct his effort on target as is whistles past the far post.

That's a great opportunity for Yates squandered, who had a free header.

Off and running at Mill Meadow.

Match referee Shane McGonigle blows his whistle and Ards Eamon Scannell gets us underway at Stangmore Park.

Not much heat about, but thankfully on a day of six postponements, the pitch here is in great condition.

We are under way at a bitterly cold Taylors Avenue.

Can Championship high-flyers Queen's replicate their upset against Linfield in 2020? Let's find out!

We are underway at Solitude as the Championship basement boys will look to spring a surprise.

Shane McCabe
BBC Radio Ulster summariser

The English holders are out and I went through it myself with Glenavon when we were holders.

Ards have nothing to lose and they have a bit of Premiership pedigree.

We're under way at Windsor Park for this Irish Cup meeting between 44-time Irish Cup winners Linfield and 1993 Irish Cup champions Bangor.

Sean Ward
BBC Sport NI pundit

Ballymacash and Comber Rec both have management teams that have been involved in big Irish Cup days and have tasted success.

You have players here that have experience in higher levels and I think it is hard to see past Ballymacash today.

David Jeffrey
Former Linfield & Ballymena manager on BBC Radio Ulster

The pressure and expectation on Linfield is absolutely enormous today and I am sure that David Healy will have drummed that into his side.

Sean Ward
BBC Sport NI pundit

I am not going to sit on the fence here, I don't see any big shocks today.

I don't see any of the premiership teams losing today.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

The Irish Cup, for me, is the cup that has all the magic, mystery and the suspense.

Jim Magilton gives debuts to his three new signings. Joseph Toole, Liam McStravick and Brian Healy start as does Shaun Leppard.

Dundela also make four changes from their last game which was back on 27 December. In come David Taylor, Andrew Hoey and Salou Jallow while Lewis Hunter starts in goal.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis (C), Wilson, Falls, Leppard, Casey, Toole, McStravick, Healy, Hawthorne, Fapetu

Subs: Morrison, Pepper, Hale, Curran, Curran, McCay, Robertson, Sheridan

Dundela: Hunter, Kerr, Fletcher (C), Dornan, Barr, Adams, Tennant, Andrews, Taylor, Hoey, Jallow

Subs: Hogg, McMaster, Patton, Moody, Walker, Francey, Adams

Image source, BBC Sport

Cliftonville have announced the signing of H&W Welders forward Brian Healy for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old previously featured in the Irish Premiership with Newry City and then enjoyed two productive loan spells with Ballyclare Comrades.

He signed for the Welders in July 2025 and hit the ground running in east Belfast, netting 25 goals in 26 games in all competitions, including four in his final appearance for the club against Armagh City.

Healy becomes the Reds' third January signing after the arrivals of Joseph O'Toole and Liam McStravick and will be part of the squad for their Irish Cup fifth round tie against Dundela on Saturday.

Cliftonville also confirmed that full-back Conor Barr has returned to Derry City following the conclusion of his loan spell at the club.

The 20-year-old made 13 appearances during his time at the north Belfast outfit.

Image source, Inpho

Dungannon Swifts kick-off their defence with a home clash against Championship side Ards, and head coach Rodney McAree has named a strong side as his side aim for a return to the end-of-season showpiece.

From last week’s 2-0 loss against Cliftonville, McAree makes one change with Tiernan Kelly coming in for John Scott.

Underdogs Ards arrive at Stangmore Park high on confidence after going through December unbeaten after recording two wins and two draws from their four outings.

A postponement last week means that today’s clash is their first outing of 2026, but they won their last game, against Armagh City, 8-0.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Marron, Kelly, Dillon, Alves, Glenny, Smith, Wallace, Bigirimana, Uzokwe, McAllister.

Subs: Henderson, Maguire, Knowles, Gordon, Maguire, Mitchell, Smith.

Ards: Matthews, Maxwell, Arthur, Ruddy, Scannell, Donnelly, Simpson, Roohi, Carson, Tipton, Reilly.

Subs: Taylor, Reid, Browne, Scannell, Brennan, Kelly, Martindale.

Image source, BBC Sport

The state of the pitch at Shamrock Park which led to the game being postponed.

Ports v local rivals Annagh will now be played on Tuesday, 13th January.

Image source, Portadown FC

Linfield welcome Bangor to Windsor Park for the second time in seven days, but this time in the Irish Cup.

The Blues ran out emphatic 6-1 winners last Saturday in the Irish Premiership, and also beat the Seasiders at Clandeboye Park twice previously this season.

Looking at today's teams, David Healy makes just one change to his starting XI with Isaac Baird replacing Chris McKee.

Lee Feeney on the other hand makes four changes from last weekend.

Gareth Deane replaces Patrick Solis Grogan in goal, with Lewis Harrison, Jay Boyd and former Linfield man Stephen Fallon also in from the start at the expense of Caomhan McGuinness, Robbie Garrett and Ben Arthurs.

Linfield: Johns, East, McClean (c), Allen, Yates, Archer, Brown, Baird, McGee, Fitzpatrick, McCullough.

Subs: Walsh, Gorrin, Hall, Ballantyne, Mulgrew, Taylor, Morrison.

Bangor: Deane, Neale, Harrison (c), Mulvenna, O'Mahony, Fallon, Lynch, Francis, Boyd, Morgan, McGuinness.

Subs: Solis Grogan, Owens, Arthurs, Cushnie, Garrett, Burns, Mitchell.

Image source, BBC Sport

A video of the frozen pitch at the Ballymena Showgrounds earlier that forced the postponement of today's Irish Cup fifth round tie.

The game will now be played on Tuesday, 20th January.

After last week's 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Glentoran, today is a must-win game for Stephen Baxter's side. Unsurprisingly he has made changes for today's game with Queens, three in total.

Former Ballymena United player Michael Place is in for his debut after signing from Finn Harps in the League of Ireland. There are also returns for Ben Buchanan-Rolleston and Joe Crowe, who is back after injury.

American signing Matthew Olosunde is in line for a debut from the bench as is goalkeeper Lorcan Donnelly. Reece Glendinning is suspended after last week's sending-off.

Queen's are playing their first game of 2026, with their last game a 1-1 draw with Ballinamallard back in December.

The Championship side will sniff blood against the Premiership strugglers and have a debutant of their own between the sticks. Goalkeeper Daniel Collett is in for his debut after arriving on loan from Larne.

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

Subs: Donnelly; Callacher, Boyd, McKay, James, McCawl, Olosunde.

Queen's University: Collett; Ovens, D.Mairs, Smyth, Middelton, Mulgrew, Hughes (c); Young, Withers, Dillon, Ajala.

Subs: Shieds; J.Mairs, Keenan, Chapman, Doran, Wilson, Gawne.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Coleraine beat 10-man Crusaders 4-0 at the Coleraine Showgrounds to book their spot in the sixth round of the Irish Cup.

Coleraine booked their place in the sixth round of the Irish Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over 10-man Crusaders at the Showgrounds.

Brendan Hamilton was sent off early in the second half and Mark Connolly opened the scoring from that free-kick.

Will Patching and James Akintunde scored twice in quick succession and Joel Cooper added a fourth for the Bannsiders.

Read the full report here.

Image source, Pacemaker Press