After a minute's silence to celebrate the lives of former players who recently passed, including Danny Hale, we are under way here at Seaview.

Mark Dillon whistles to get the ball rolling at Mourneview Park.

Ross Oliver takes charge of the Blues from the dugout today with David Healy watching on from the stands.

Referee Ian McNabb starts the action at The Oval, where the playing surface is showing the effects of the recent poor weather.

This is just Ballymena's fourth league game of 2026 after the inclement elements impacted a number of their recent fixtures and the Sky Blues are in need of points on the board urgently in order to pull away from the danger area at the foot of the table.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

I think Fuad Sule is a great signing.

If he can hit the ground running, he could be the midfield maestro that could just pull the strings to get them the wins needed to move up the table.

It is tight at the bottom and very difficult to see who is going to end up in the dreaded bottom two.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Dean Shiels
Former Coleraine and Dungannon Swifts boss on BBC Sportsound

No one expected Carrick to put in the run of form and they have been unbelievable and that puts more pressure on the Dungannon v Cliftonville rivalry.

It is so condensed in that area of the table at the moment.

Colin Coates
Former Crusaders captain on BBC Sportsound

The turnover of players at Cliftonville is potentially starting to catch up with them.

You look at the players from my time there three years ago, it is only really Addis, Gormley and Hale from that squad and to replace that calibre of player that have moved on is so, so hard.

Jordan Owens
Former Crusaders striker on BBC Sportsound

At this point everyone has probably ruled Glenavon to go down.

If you look at the results in the last few weeks, though, they beat Cliftonville and they are grinding on.

We [Crusaders] will not be looking over our shoulders too much at what Glenavon are doing and will just concentrate on putting points on the board.

Colin Coates
Former Crusaders captain on Sportsound

On the recently retired Jordan Owens:

What a player and what a servant to Crusaders.

I was always so glad to play in the same team as him as I have seen plenty of centre backs crumble beside Jordan Owens.

His physicality, how good he was at bringing players into the game and scoring goals when he got into the 18-yard box.

A top, top player and a brilliant fella as well.

Image source, Press Eye

Crusaders are set to play their first game in February 2026 after their midweek tie against Ballymena United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Their last outing was a 4-2 loss at the hands of leaders Larne at Seaview at the end of January. Manager Declan Caddell makes four changes for the game today from that defeat.

Goalkeeper Musa Dibaga, Adam Broos, Stewart Nixon and Scot Rough all come into the starting line-up. Fraser Bryden is on the bench after making a quicker than expected recovery form injury.

Bangor manager Lee Feeney is hoping his side can make a quick recovery from Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to and put an end to a four-game losing streak.

Just one change pencilled in today from the Cliftonville tie with Tiarnan Mulvenna promoted to the starting XI.

Crusaders: Dibaga; Brooks, Thorndike, Dunlop, J.Forsythe, Williamson, Nixon, Maguire; Rough, Anderson, Barr.

Subs: Tuffey; K.Forsythe, McKechnie, Easton, Bryden, Bruce, McCart.

Bangor: Deane, Neale, Haughey, Harrison (c), Hassin, Arthurs, Cushnie, Fallon, Lynch, Hughes.

Subs: McMahon, Francis, Garrett, Morgan, Boyd, Mitchell, McGuiness.

Image source, BBC Sport

Colin Coates
Former Crusaders captain on BBC Sportsound

At times Crusaders have been really good to watch, but it is the physical side and game management that they lack at the minute. It is probably through lack of experience in terms of who they have in the squad.

It is a big, big few weeks for them. Bangor today and then Ballymena on Tuesday

Only one change to the Portadown side that were defeated 2-1 by Coleraine in mid-week action and it’s an enforced change.

Lewis MacKinnon picked up a yellow card in that fixture and it means he misses out through suspension. Shay McCartan comes back into the starting line-up as a result.

Two changes, meanwhile, to the Larne side that drew 2-2 with Glentoran on Tuesday night, one of which is enforced through suspension.

Matt Ridley received his fifth booking of the season in the Glentoran fixture and is suspended today, while Tiarnan O’Connor drops to the bench.

Ronan Doherty and Andy Ryan take their place on the starting line-up.

Portadown: Moore, Altintop, Wilson, Chapman, Ukek, McCullough, Fyfe, Scott, McCartan, Towe, Carson

Subs: Isamala, Gibson, Tetteh, Teelan, Obhakhan, Annett, Quinn

Larne: Ferguson, Donnelly, Gallagher, O’Neill, S Graham, Doherty, Millar, McEneff, Cosgrove, Ryan, Wallace

Subs: D Graham, McKendry, O’Connor, Magee, Sloan, Lusty, Simpson

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Larne net late leveller to draw 2-2 with 10-man Glentoran in the Irish Premiership.

Michael O’Connor makes four changes following the 2-1 defeat by Carrick Rangers, as Luke Cartwright, Sean Carlin, Conor Falls and Charlie Lindsay come into the starting XI.

Barney McKeown, Gavin Gilmore and Nathaniel Ferris drop to the bench, while Niall Quinn misses out through suspension.

David Healy, meanwhile, makes just one alteration to the side that dismantled Dungannon Swifts 6-0.

Isaac Baird is handed a start against his former club, replacing Adam Frizzell.

Glenavon: Carney, McMullan, Burns, Murphy, Cartwright, Campbell, Carlin, Falls, McGovern, Lindsay, Mountney.

Subs: Byrne, McKeown, Lowe, Ferris, Gilmore, Harkin, McGerrigan.

Linfield: Johns, East, Millar, McClean, Hall, Archer, Baird, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Taylor, Leahy.

Subs: Walsh, Gorrin, Allen, McKee, Yates, Frizzell, Brown.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch highlights as Carrick Rangers beat Glenavon 2-1 in the Irish Premiership to extend their unbeaten league run.

After the dust has settled following Glentoran's tempestuous midweek draw at Larne, manager Declan Devine make four changes.

Two of them, of course, are enforced following red cards for Pat Hoban and Ryan Cooney, while Joe Thomson and Marcus Kane aren't involved.

Into the starting line-up come Jarlath O'Rourke, Ross Clarke, Danny Amos and Jordan Jenkins.

Fuad Sule makes his debut for Ballymena following his deadline day return to the Irish League while goalkeeper Brad Wade and skipper Matthew Clarke also return to the United starting XI after missing their Irish Cup defeat by Larne.

Glentoran: Mills, Daniels, Kamson-Kamara, Singleton, O'Rourke, McEneff, Palmer, Amos, Stewart, Clarke, Jenkins.

Subs: Crellin, Larmour, Connoly, Gallagher, Weatherup, Douglas, Burt.

Ballymena United: Wade, Toure, O'Donnell, McCallion, Clarke, Sule, Jarvis, Thompson, Corbally, Edogun, Rutkowski.

Subs: Breen, O'Reilly, O'Connor, McGeouch, McEleney, Hood.

Image source, BBC Sport

Glentoran manager Declan Devine says he is "gutted" after league leaders Larne netted a late equaliser against his side, who were shown two red cards, at Inver Park.

Paul O'Neill's penalty on 21 minutes gave the home side the lead before two goals from Pat Hoban flipped the game on its head.

However, goalscorer Hoban was then dismissed with Gary Haveron's side awarded another penalty deep into stoppage time and Andy Ryan able to convert the rebound of his effort.

"The game itself is an entertaining game. I thought we were very much in control of our own destiny," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"The sending offs are ridiculous and if they are given then three or four players are sent off in every game.

"I don't think Larne caused us that many problems to be honest, a couple of half chances. I am just gutted for the players, the quality that they showed and that, again, we come here and every decision in the game goes against you."

As well as Hoban's dismissal, Cooney also picked up a straight red card after the final whistle following an altercation with referee Shane Andrews with Devine adding that decision was a "farce".

"The players deserve huge credit as they delivered everything we asked of them and, even when down to 10, we were very comfortable and to give the second penalty is inexcusable in the 95th minute," Devine continued.

"To send Ryan Cooney off after the game is a farce, an absolute farce.

"We are trying to make the league professional and a really high level. It is the players, managers and staff's livelihoods and for people to make decisions like they did tonight, I have no words."

However, Larne manager Haveron disagreed with Devine and added that his side should have had another penalty when it appeared that Jarlath O'Rourke used his hand to block Ryan's effort.

"There was a bit of drama at the end. We weren't at our best, but I always say when you're not at your best then don't lose," Haveron said.

"It's a stonewall penalty. They can say whatever they want but his hand was high. The one with Jarlath O'Rourke is a shocking decision. It really was shocking and it could have cost us massively if we lost the game.

"That could make a difference in the run-in. It's really poor and there's no excuses for it, it was on the line. It needs to be looked at, in my opinion. He got one right, but the one with 10 or 15 minutes to go, he handled the ball on the line."

Image source, Inpho

Two of the league's in-form teams meet at Taylors Avenue, one week on from a sixth round Irish Cup tie which the visitors won thanks largely to a Matthew Shevlin extra-time hat-trick.

Carrick Rangers, who have won their last five league games, show two changes from the team which started Tuesday night's home win as goalkeeper Lorcan Donnelly and Matthew Olusunde come in for Scott Pengelly and Paul Heatley, neither of whom make the matchday squad.

The visitors' starting XI also shows two alterations from the side that began in the midweek win at home to Portadown, their fourth league win in a row.

Jamie Glackin and Dean Jarvis both drop to the bench and are replaced down the left-hand side by Zane Okoro and Levi Ives.

Carrick Rangers: Donnelly, Place, Burns, Gibson, Lecky, McCullough (c), Steele, Buchanan-Rolleston, Crowe, Snoddy, Olusunde.

Subs: Gartside, Cherry, Glendinning, McCawl, Hill, Jeffers, Moore.

Coleraine: Schofield, Boyle, Patching, Shevlin, Cooper, Ives (c), Dunne, Wylie, Okoro, Coyle, Connolly.

Subs: Webb, Jarvis, Glackin, McGonigle, Akintunde, Watson, Devine.

Image source, BBC Sport

Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins dismissed rumours linking him with the vacant Wigan Athletic job.

The Latics are on the hunt for a new manager after Ryan Lowe was sacked after 11 months in charge on Saturday.

But Higgins, who took over as Bannsiders boss in May last year, says there is "nothing in" talk of him being considered as a potential candidate for the League One side.

"I've seen that myself. My phone has been hopping for the last day or two from people sending me stuff. There is nothing in it," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I'm in this job six or seven months I have a brilliant owner, brilliant chief exec, brilliant staff and brilliant players. The club going in the right direction and I'm so happy here, the happiest I have been in a long time.

"You don't really expect it [to be linked with the Wigan job] but my full focus is on this football club and how we fulfil our potential.

"There's nothing to report on that whatsoever."

Image source, Inpho

Watch highlights as Coleraine score late to beat Portadown 2-1 in the Irish Premiership at the Showgrounds on Tuesday

Irish Premiership leaders Larne will play either Glentoran or Drumaness Mills in the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup next month.

The Inver Reds have been runners-up six times in the competition without ever lifting the trophy, but advanced to the last eight thanks to a 2-0 win away to Warrenpoint Town on Saturday.

Glentoran were due to take on Drumaness Mills at the Oval in the sixth round but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

The game will now take place on 17 February with the winners hosting Larne on either Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March.

Holders Dungannon Swifts, who came from behind to beat Portadown in the sixth round, will host Harland and Wolff Welders in the last eight with the east Belfast side having eased past Gary Hamilton's Ballymacash Rangers on Saturday.

Limavady United's reward for beating Premiership champions Linfield on Friday night will be a home quarter-final against Coleraine who required extra time to advance past Carrick on Saturday.

Cliftonville, Irish Cup winners in 2024, will travel to Loughgall in the last eight after Jonny Addis' sweetly struck free-kick deep into injury time saw them knock out Glenavon in the sixth round.

Loughgall came through the only all-Championship tie of the sixth round when they beat Institute 2-1.

Irish Cup quarter-final draw

Dungannon Swifts v Harland and Wolff Welders

Glentoran or Drumaness Mills v Larne

Limavady United v Coleraine

Loughgall v Cliftonville

Ties to be played Friday, 6 March or Saturday, 7 March

Image source, Inpho