Linfield lift the Gibson Cup

That victory moves Linfield 25 points clear at the top of the table with three games still to go.

What a season for the Blues.

Image source, Pacemaker

Tiernan Lynch
Derry City manager and former Larne boss on BBC Two NI

I do think Glentoran will be disappointed they didn't get something from the game there were a few early chances at the start of the second half. In saying that Linfield also had a few chances through Joel Cooper, but this is one of those performances that have probably won Linfield the league.

They have been really consistent in the game, don't give up too many chances and they are hard to break down and they are deserved champions.

It's all over at Windsor Park and Linfield will lift the Gibson trophy on the back of a resilient win over Glentoran.

All three goals came in a frenetic first half, with goals coming from Callumn Morrison and Kirk Millar for the Blues; and Jordan Jenkins with his 15th goal of the season for the Glens.

Stay with us for more updates as we prepare for the trophy lift.

We are now into four minutes of added time here at Windsor Park.

The very fact that Cliftonville find themselves in the bottom six owes much to their league record this season against today’s opponents.

Ballymena won all three pre-split league meetings between the sides – and also added in a County Antrim Shield victory at Solitude for good measure – which left the Reds just short of making the cut for the top six.

Cliftonville make five changes from the side which won at Carrick in midweek as manager Jim Magilton continues to rotate his squad in a bid to claim seventh place but also with one eye on the forthcoming Irish Cup final.

In comes Conor Pepper, Rory Hale, Shea Gordon, Joe Gormley and Stephen McGuinness, who replace Arran Pettifer, Ryan Curran, Luke Conlan, Micheal Glynn and Ryan Corrigan.

Ballymena's team news is much more straightforward with skipper Sean O'Neill replacing Sam Johnston in goal from the side which thrashed Loughgall in midweek.

Cliftonville: Odumosu, Kearney, Keaney, Addis, Stewart, McGuinness, Pepper, Gordon, Hale, Parsons, Gormley.

Subs: Ridd, Curran, Lowe, Glynn, McWoods, Corrigan, Madden.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Barr, Loughran, O'Donnell, Lafferty, FLynn, Carson, McEleney, Corbally, Kennedy, Edogun.

Subs: Johnston, Jarvis, McMullan, McCurry, McCallion, Devine, Hawe.

Image source, BBC Sport

Chris McKee goes close with a low-drilled effort from the right-hand side of the six-yard box, but Daniel Gyollai does well to make the save at his near post and keep Glentoran's hopes alive.

Larne head coach Gary Haveron says he will be happy to fulfil whatever role the club want him to do in the future.

Haveron was elevated to the top job from his previous position as part of the backroom coaching staff at the Irish Premiership club in mid-December after newly appointed manager Nathan Rooney switched to become head of football because he did not possess a Uefa Pro Licence.

Rooney has since successfully enrolled to undergo his Pro Licence training and is expected to resume his place as manager of the Invermen in the future.

"I'm more than happy to fulfil any role that Larne Football Club want me to fulfil," said Haveron.

"It's maybe difficult when you have to make tough awkward decisions [as head coach] but that comes part and parcel with the job.

"Nathan is obviously on the Pro Licence and I hope it all goes according to plan with him and I'll do whatever role Larne FC want me to do."

Image source, Presseye

Kirk Millar with a superb delivery from the left that sails past every Linfield player in the box and somehow away out for a goal-kick.

Paddy McLaughlin makes five changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Portadown, bringing in Tadhg Ryan, Matthew Snoddy, Harry Lynch, Paul McGovern, and Ben Wilson, with Mark Byrne, David Toure, Len O’Sullivan, Davy McDaid, and Chris Atherton dropping out.

It's a youthful Lurgan Blues line-up, with teenagers McGovern (17) and Wilson (16) given the nod.

Meanwhile, Harry Murphy starts in central defence for Glenavon against a Loughgall side now managed by his father, Darren Murphy.

In his first game in charge, Murphy makes three changes from the 5-2 defeat to Ballymena, introducing Tiernan Kelly, Adam Towe, and Kirk McLaughlin.

The Villagers' relegation to the Championship will be confirmed today should they fail to win and Carrick Rangers avoid defeat against Portadown.

Glenavon: Ryan, Snoddy, Malone, Campbell, Lynch, McKeown, Murphy, O’Connor. Carlin, McGovern, Wilson.

Subs: Byrne, Toure, Marshall, McDaid, Atherton, A. Heaney, J. Heaney.

Loughgall: Gartside, Murdock, Kelly, Andarde, Waide, Norton, Francis, Magee, Towe, McCloskey, McLaughlin.

Subs: Turker, Brogan, Gibson, McMenemy, O’Brien, McCaffrey, Kelly.

Image source, BBC Sport

Jordan Jenkins sweeps in an effort from just outside the area that has David Walsh scrambling across goal.

He manages to push the ball away to safety. Glentoran still on top here.

Tiernan Lynch
Derry City manager and former Larne boss on BBC Two NI

Glentoran have nothing to lose at this stage, they may as well have a go at it.

Declan Devine with his last throw of the dice as Aaron Wightman comes on to replace Daniel Amos.

Stephen Baxter makes four changes to the starting XI who were defeated by Cliftonville mid-week. Midfielders Kyle Cherry and Reece Glendinning return from injury, with the latter making his first senior appearance since October. Albert Watson and Jack O'Reilly also return to the line-up.

David Cushley and Ben Buchanan-Rolleston drop to the bench with Luke McCullough and Seanan Clucas not in the squad this afternoon.

In a total of two switches for Portadown, there is a change between the posts with Jordan Williamson replacing Aaron McCarey.

Meanwhile midfielder Rabby Tabu Minzamba replaces skipper Gary Thompson, who is injured.

Carrick Rangers: Ross Glendinning, Forsythe, Watson, Crowe, O'Brien, Reece Glendinning, O'Malley, O'Reilly, Cherry, Maciulaitis, Gibson.

Subs: McIntyre, Cushley, Allen, Buchanan-Rolleston, Webb, Forbes, Hastings.

Portadown: Williamson, Chapman, Traynor, McCullough, Isamala, Wylie, Obhakhan, Minzamba, McCartan, Ukek, Fyfe.

Subs: Wright, Wilson, McCawl, McElroy, Mayse, Teelan, Traczykowski.

Image source, BBC Sport

Jamie Mulgrew and Joel Cooper exit for Linfield with Kieran Offord and Josh Archer taking their place as David Healy looks to make sure of the win.

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell makes two changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Linfield in midweek.

Robbie Weir returns to the starting XI along with Josh Williamson this afternoon, with Harry Franklin dropping to the bench and Lewis Barr out of the squad altogether.

The goalscorer from Tuesday’s loss, Jay Boyd will again have to content himself with a place on the bench.

Larne boss Gary Haveron makes several changes to the team that drew with Dungannon Swifts on Tuesday.

Mark Randall comes in today with Sean Graham not included in the matchday squad, while Cian Bolger and Dylan Sloan are back in the starting line-up after recovering from injuries, as Ryan Nolan and Tiernan O’Connor also drop out.

In attack, Andy Ryan returns to the starting team with Cricky Gallagher out.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Weir, Lowry, Stewart, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Williamson, Larmour, Clarke, Nixon.

Subs: Brown, O’Connor, Boyd, Franklin, Anderson, Walker Harrison.

Larne: Ferguson, Want, Donnelly, Randall, O’Neill, McEneff, Bolger Cosgrove, Sloan, Bayode, Ryan.

Subs: D. Graham, McKendry, O’Connor, Brown, Devlin, Wallace, Simpson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Glentoran are not letting this game go without a fight and have had a spell of pressure.

Substitute Christie Pattisson once more involved with a strong run down the right, but his cross is blocked away for a corner.

The delivery comes to nothing though and Linfield clear.

The Glens almost make an immediate impact at the Blues' end.

First Jordan Jenkins drills the ball at David Walsh who parries. Then with his first touch Christie Pattison strikes from the right-hand side but against Walsh is equal to the task.

Big moment in the game.

It's sixth against fourth at the Showgrounds this afternoon as we enter the final few furlongs of another marathon season.

Hosts Coleraine know that victory today would see them leapfrog their opponents while Dungannon Swifts can bolster hopes of an automatic European place with a win.

Bannsiders' boss Dean Shiels makes three changes to the team which started in Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat at Glentoran.

Matthew Shevlin and Ronan Doherty drop to the bench while Levi Ives has failed to recovery from a shoulder injury picked up in that game.

In their place come Dean Jarvis, Corey Smith and Declan McManus.

Dungannon Swifts head coach Rodney McAree makes five changes to the side which began the midweek draw with Larne.

Tomas Galvin, Kealan Dillon, Danny Wallace, Thomas Maguire and Brendon Birmingham take their place among the replacements with skipper Dean Curry, James Knowles, John McGovern, Leo Alves and Andy Mitchell restored to the starting line-up.

Coleraine: Brown, Kane (c), Jarvis, Boyle, Campbell, Scott, McClelland, Glackin, Smith, Dunne, McManus.

Subs: Little, Shevlin, Murray, Spence, P. Burns, M. Burns, Doherty.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Curry (c), Marron, Knowles, McGovern, Alves, Glenny, McGinty, Mitchell, Bigirimana.

Subs: Henderson, Dillon, Galvin, Maguire, Hutchinson, Wallace, Bermingham.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dylan Connolly off for the Glens and Christie Pattisson on.

Glentoran have fallen off the game in the last few minutes and need some inspiration to get back involved.

It just might not be Joel Cooper's day.

This time the playmaker is played through on goal, but once more Daniel Gyollai is out to snuff out the danger at his feet.

Matthew Fitzpatrick then races through, but good pressure from the Glens' defence means his shot lacks the power required to trouble Gyollai.