Watch highlights of last Friday's enthralling contest at the Oval as Glentoran recovered from a goal down to defeat 10-man Coleraine 2-1 at the Oval.

Ballymena manager Oran Kearney names an unchanged starting line-up from the one which earned his first point as United manager just before Christmas.

That means experienced defender Stephen O'Donnell - available after a one-match ban - has to settle for a place on the bench where he is joined by Andy Scott, who features in a Ballymena squad for the first time since February after a long-term groin injury.

Coleraine make two enforced changes following a costly defeat at Glentoran before the festive period.

Dylan Boyle’s red card and a fifth league caution of the season for Dean Jarvis in that game mean both miss out through suspension.

On the plus side, manager Ruaidhri Higgins and assistant Kevin Deery both successfully appealed the red cards they received late in that game and therefore take their places in the dugout today.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Toure, McCallion, Clarke, Lafferty, Thompson, McGeouch, Jarvis, Corbally, O'Connor, Edogun.

Subs: Breen, Gould, Scott, O'Donnell, O'Reilly, Taylor, Hood.

Coleraine: Schofield, Kane, Dunne, Stewart, Ives, Doherty, Patching, Okoro, Glackin, Cooper, Shevlin.

Subs: Harris, McGregor, McGonigle, McDonald, McGrath, Watson, Devlin.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights of last Saturday's game at the Warden Street Showgrounds as Ballymena United draw 1-1 with visitors Carrick Rangers.

Twelve miles and 27 points separates these east Antrim clubs ahead of a second league derby meeting of the season.

League leaders Larne won the first encounter at Inver Park back in September and will start favourites to make it a double this afternoon against their 10th placed opponents.

Home manager Stephen Baxter was obviously impressed with the performance of his players in the 1-1 draw at Ballymena United last time out and goes with the same starting XI this afternoon.

Counterpart Gary Haveron, who is suspended for this game and is replaced in the dug-out by assistant Keith O'Hara, is forced to reshuffle his squad from the team which began the 1-0 win at Crusaders six days ago.

Sean Graham is suspended while Matthew Lusty and club captain Tomas Cosgrove miss out through illness.

Leroy Millar comes back in and takes the captain's armband while Ryan Nolan and Logan Wallace are handed rare starts.

Carrick Rangers: Gartside, Burns, Gibson, Lecky, McCullough, Steele, Buchanan-Rolleston, Cherry, Heatley, Snoddy, McKay.

Subs: Pengelly, Waide, Clucas, Glendinning, Scott, James, McCawl.

Larne: Ferguson, Ridley, Donnelly, Gallagher, O'Neill, Magee, Nolan, Millar (c), McEneff, Wallace, Simpson.

Subs: D. Graham, O'Connor, Bridgman, Moore, Austin, Mulvenna, Harkin.

Image source, bb

Watch highlights of Larne's 1-0 win over Crusaders at Seaview last weekend as striker Benji Magee emerges as their matchwinner for the second week in succession.

Jim Magilton makes three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Bangor at Clandeboye Park.

The Reds boss recalls Odhran Casey and Rory Hale after the duo served their suspension against the Seasiders, while Keevan Hawthorne also returns to the starting XI.

Conor Pepper, Shaun Leppard and Michael Glynn are the trio who drop to the bench.

Declan Caddell, meanwhile, makes a single alteration following the 1-0 defeat to Larne.

Finley Thorndike is drafted into the line-up, with Brendan Hamilton the man to make way.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Lavery, Addis, Wilson, Hale (C), Curran, Casey, Keaney, McWoods, Hawthorne, Sheridan.

Subs: Ridd, Pepper, Falls, Leppard, Gormley, Glynn, Mahoney.

Crusaders: Dibaga, Brooks, Thorndike, Dunlop, Forsythe, O’Rourke (C), Williamson, Bryden, Clarke, Anderson, Barr.

Subs: Tuffey, Forsythe, Hamilton, Jewitt-White, Easton, Nixon, McCart.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Bangor and Cliftonville played out a 1-1 draw at Clandeboye on Saturday.

Rodney McAree makes one alteration from the starting 11 which beat Portadown on Saturday with Cahal McGinty being replaced by Steven Scott.

Hat-trick hero Sean McAllister retains his place in the line-up following his three strikes in under nine minutes last time out.

Coming into this game following a draw at home to Cliftonville, Lee Feeney makes two changes.

Liam Hassin and Lewis Francis start in place of Ben Cushnie and Stephen McGuinness, who are both named on the bench.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, P. Maguire, Kelly, Dillon, Glenny, T. Maguire, Wallace, Bigirimana (C), Junior, McAllister

Subs: Henderson, Knowles, Alves, McGinty, Smith, Mitchell, Liggett

Bangor: Solis Grogan, Neale, Haughey, Harrison (C), Hassin, Mulvenna, Arthurs, O'Mahony, Lynch, Francis, Devlin

Subs: Deane, C. McGuinness, Cushnie, Garrett, Boyd, Morgan, S. McGuinness

Image source, bb

Sean McAllister says he is "loving every minute" at Dungannon Swifts after scoring an eight-minute hat-trick in his side's win over Portadown on Saturday.

The 23-year-old starred in the 4-2 victory over the Swifts' Mid-Ulster rivals and now has five goals in his last three matches.

McAllister linked up with Rodney McAree's side in the summer when he left Everton after six years with the Premier League club.

"It's going from full-time football into part-time, but I needed that step," McAllister said when asked how he had found adjusting to the Irish Premiership.

"I was out for a long period of time and my legs weren't letting me go into full-time.

"Since I've come in with Dungannon, they have been unbelievable with me and managed me well. I'm loving every minute of it."

Read more here.

Image source, Inpho

Watch highlights of Saturday's game at Stangmore Park in which Dungannon Swifts ran out 4-2 winners over Portadown.

Here is how the table looks ahead of today's Boxing Day action.

Image source, BBC Sport

Three points on Boxing Day is a gift that all Irish League fans will have top of their Christmas lists.

With tough battles at the top and bottom of the table, it is set to be an exciting full round of fixtures for what has become one of the most anticipated days of the Irish Premiership calendar.

You can read a full preview of all six matches here.

Image source, Pacemaker

An afternoon of local derbies to enjoy over the Christmas period.

Image source, BBC Sport

The presents have been opened, the turkey dinners have been eaten and today it's the turn of another annual festive tradition to take centre stage - the Irish Premiership Boxing Day derbies.

All 12 top flight teams are in action as rivalries are renewed and bragging rights - as well as crucial league points are on offer - on this 26 December extravaganza.

Larne went into Christmas sitting at the summit of the standings and they will aim to continue their impressive sequence of results as they travel to east Antrim neighbours Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

Linfield and Glentoran meet at Windsor Park as they try to stay well in touch with the pacesetters, while Solitude is the host venue for the north Belfast derby between Cliftonville and Crusaders.

Ballymena manager Oran Kearney locks horns with his former club as the Sky Blues entertain Coleraine at the Warden Street Showgrounds, with Portadown enjoying home advantage over Glenavon in the mid-Ulster derby encounter.

The day's other game sees Dungannon Swifts play Bangor at Stangmore Park.

We'll keep you right across all the action as it unfolds throughout the day, with Sportsound on air from 14:00 GMT, text updates, in-play clips, a report, highlights from all six games and post-match reaction.

Thank you for joining us on this special day on the Northern Ireland football calendar and we hope you enjoy our comprehensive coverage throughout the afternoon. You won't miss a moment of the drama!