Stuart King
Former Carrick Rangers manager on BBC Sportsound

Some of the smaller teams such as Dungannon and Portadown have been outstanding this year and they have really put it up to the bigger clubs.

There are so many teams who can still get into the top six - two or three wins can really cement their place.

Portadown and Linfield have expressed "extreme" and "deep" disappointment after the Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL] declined to offer compensation to supporters financially impacted by the late postponements of Irish Premiership games on 7 December.

Despite an amber weather warning being issued the previous day because of the impending arrival of Storm Darragh, NIFL opted not to postpone any of the six scheduled fixtures at that stage but the games were then called off at short notice on the Saturday.

Portadown's game at Coleraine was postponed an hour before the kick-off with Linfield's contest at Dungannon Swifts called off 70 minutes prior to the scheduled start.

NIFL Chief executive Gerard Lawlor later said the league governing body would look at the option of reimbursing supporters but the Portadown and Linfield statements said that it instead had decided to make a donation to charity.

"Portadown FC had three supporters clubs buses as well as a team bus travel to Coleraine at a total cost of £2,010, with invoices submitted to NIFL as requested. Therefore, we were dismayed to learn that NIFL instead would look to make a donation to charity," said the club's statement.

"While charitable donations are of course always welcome, unfortunately this gesture does nothing to help our supporters clubs at a time when many are struggling to cover the price of hiring buses because of rising transport costs."

The Portadown statement added that it was "unacceptable that our supporters clubs have been left substantially out of pocket for what was an unnecessary and needless journey, and also deeply let down that they will not be compensated as was publicly suggested".

"We will now consider our options, but as a sign of appreciation to our supporters clubs who have travelled the width and breadth of the country all season, we will endeavour to make sure that we assist them financially, so that they do not have to fully burden the cost of decisions that were out of their control."

Linfield's statement said: "This outcome is deeply disappointing for the club and its supporters clubs as expectations were raised that a goodwill gesture would be forthcoming to compensate supporters clubs for the unnecessary travel."

The Belfast club added that it would cover 50% of the travel costs incurred by its supporters on 7 December and had accepted NIFL's offer to make a charitable donation, which will go to the club's main charity partner, the NI Children's Hospice.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Paddy McLaughlin
Sportsound summariser

This game today could maybe decide who goes on to win the cup - whoever comes out victorious in the north Belfast 'derby' will be favourites to win it.

Glentoran manager Declan Devine lamented his side's "totally unacceptable performance" in their 3-1 Irish Cup quarter-final defeat by Bangor at Clandeboye Park.

First-half goals from Ben Arthurs, Ben Cushnie and Lewis Harrison had the Championship leaders 3-0 ahead at the break and Charlie Lindsay's 70th-minute deflected strike proved to be a mere consolation.

"We warned the team that was possible here tonight. They obviously didn't take on board what I had to say and we apologise to the people who got behind us tonight," said an angry Glens boss after the game.

"Everything was missing in the first half - pride, passion, energy, quality on the ball, an ability to defend long balls.

"We warned them all week this was the potential of a good Bangor side and it's a really tough one to take. As a group we have to take a long hard look at ourselves."

Devine went on to criticise the lack of "fight" shown by his players.

"We lost the fight, we didn't show enough fight, enough hunger and desire to represent the club tonight. That's the thing that has really riled me.

"The goals we gave away were really poor, horrendous goals. We panicked, we showed a real anxiety and nervousness about our defensive duties.

"We have nowhere near arrived yet, we have a lot of work to do and tonight proved that."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Bangor manager Lee Feeney praised his players for "emptying the tank" in their shock 3-1 Irish Cup quarter-final win over Glentoran at Clandeboye Park on Friday night.

Ben Arthurs, Ben Cushnie and captain Lewis Harrison were on target as the Championship leaders established a 3-0 lead by the interval.

Despite Charlie Lindsay's second-half consolation goal for the Glens, the north Down side went on to secure a memorable victory over their Premiership opponents.

"I'm delighted for the players. They emptied the tank and that had to happen for us to win that game," said Feeney after the match.

"Everyone on the pitch gave everything they had, you couldn't ask for much more. When you play those full-time teams, you have to be in and around the ball and not give them space.

"That's why we tried to crowd the midfield and not sit off them and let them knock the ball about. It took hard work for that to happen."

Feeney was preparing to give his half-time team talk to reflect a two-goal half-time advantage when his side added their third goal one minute before the interval.

"We got a very important goal before half-time which changed things as we were thinking more defensively and instead of being on the front foot again, we said we'll try and hold onto our three-goal lead.

"But they started to get the upper hand we felt we had to sit off a bit and there was nothing wrong with that.

"It was a horrible goal to give away, but it says a lot for us that after a game like that we were disappointed to concede in the manner that we did."

The Bangor boss said his side were deserved winners.

"We were super and deserved it. Our aim was to come here and compete.

"There were people here who have maybe never been here to watch the team before and were maybe thinking, 'I'll give this a go', and then going 'you know what I enjoyed that'."

The Seasiders are eight points clear at the top of the Championship as they chase promotion to the top flight.

"Winning the league is my priority. It will be a far bigger achievement than this," Feeney emphasised.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Watch highlights as Championship side Bangor beat high-flying Premiership side Glentoran 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup on Friday.

Read more.

Cliftonville captain Rory Hale says the players involved in the Irish Cup quarter-final against derby rivals Crusaders at Seaview should require little motivating.

The Reds are aiming to successfully defend the trophy they won by defeating Linfield in last year's showpiece decider at Windsor Park.

"It's a massive game - away to Crusaders, Irish Cup quarter-final - if you can't get pumped up for those sort of games you shouldn't be playing football," Hale told BBC Sport NI.

Cliftonville go into the knockout meeting with their neighbours on the back of a 2-0 win over Glentoran last weekend, a result which has given them a boost after an inconsistent run of league form.

"We've got a bit of confidence from that win over the Glens and we hope we can bring it into Saturday," added the influential Reds midfielder.

Crusaders, Irish Cup winners in both 2022 and 2023, have won six of their past seven matches in all competitions, a fact not lost on Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton.

"It's a mouth-watering tie against a team who are on a wonderful run - we're keen to overcome that because we're desperate to hang onto that trophy," said the Reds boss.

"It's one of those that when it comes out of the hat you recoil a little but for the neutral and for the Irish Cup it's a magnificent game.

"It's a quarter-final against your nearest rivals away from home and it's all hands to the pump. It's about showing that character and resilience that's in the team. It's a great tie to look forward to."

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell meanwhile is a firm believer in the old adage that form goes out the window for derby ties.

"We've been on a good run of late, trying to build that momentum and we've been finding different ways to win, which is really pleasing.

"But momentum goes out the window when it's a north Belfast derby - it's a huge game of football and so much at stake for both teams.

"We'll both do our homework, both prepare well and the better team will come out on top on the day."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Carrick Rangers will be hoping to take a giant step into the last four of the Irish Cup when they meet Dungannon Swifts this afternoon.

Stephen Baxter makes just two changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Loughgall last weekend. In come Kurtis Forsythe and Kyle Cherry for Rangers. Paul Heatley misses out altogether through injury.

Rodney McAree makes just the one change from the Swifts team that defeated Larne at Inver Park last time out.

Captain Dean Curry comes back into the side for Brandon Bermingham who drops to the bench.

Carrick Rangers: McIntyre, Maciulaitis, McCullough, Clucas, Crowe, Forsythe, Gibson, Cherry, O'Brien, Hastings, O'Malley.

Subs: Mather, Watson, Buchanan-Rolleston, Cushley, Webb, Forbes, O'Reilly.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, S. Scott,Curry, King, Knowles, McGovern, Dillon, Glenny, Wallace, Mitchell, Bigiramana.

Subs: Henderson, Marron, Galvin, Maguire, Hutchinson, Alves, Bermingham.

Image source, bbc

Ballymena United's Irish Premiership home game against Larne has been postponed following a pitch inspection.

The game at the Showgrounds was called off following an inspection at 11:00 on Saturday morning.

The fixture has been rescheduled for Tuesday 11 March at 19:45 GMT.

Saturday's other Irish Premiership game involving Coleraine and Portadown as well as the three Irish Cup ties are still set to go ahead.

Two teams whose game was blown off course by Storm Eowyn back in January meet in perfect spring conditions at the Showgrounds.

The hosts, fresh from their best performance of the season in last week's shock 2-0 win against Linfield at Windsor Park, unsurprisingly go with the same starting XI.

However, there is a change on the touchline where assistant coach Michael O'Connor replaces head coach Dean Shiels, who is serving a touchline ban after picking up three bookings.

Opponents Portadown, who recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 when these sides met at Shamrock Park earlier in the season, make two changes to the team which lost 2-0 at Ballymena United seven days ago.

Club captain Gary Thompson returns in midfield along with top scorer Ryan Mayse at the expense of Ben Wylie and James Teelan, who start their afternoons on the bench.

Coleraine: Brown, Kane (c), Boyle, Shevlin, Murray, Spence, McClelland, Glackin, Ives, Doherty, Dunne.

Subs: Little, Stewart, Campbell, Scott, Burns, McGonigle, McManus.

Portadown: McCarey, Altinop, Chapman, Mayse, McCullough, Kek, Obhakhan, Minzamba, McCartan, Thompson (c), Isamala.

Subs: Williamson, Wilson, McElroy, Fyfe, Wylie, Traynor, Teelan.

Image source, BBC Sport

John Bailie makes three changes to the Ards side which drew against Newington last weekend with Eamon Scannell, Ciaran Dobbin and Lee Newell replacing Ross Hunter, Darius Roohi and Connor Maxwell, who are all among the substitutes.

There are four alterations to the Loughgall side who were defeated by Larne in their last game.

There is a switch between the posts with Berraat Turker replacing Nathan Gartside. Ben Murdock, Francis McCaffrey and Alberto Balde also start. Lewis Francis and Conor McCloksey drop to the bench and Kirk McLaughlin is cup tied.

Ards: Moore, Greer, Arthur, Ruddy, Scannell, Dobbin, McCart, Simpson, Steele, Newell, Tipton.

Subs: Gibbons, Maxwell, Scannell, Hunter, Quinn, Calderwood, Roohi.

Loughgall: Turker, Murdock, Andrade, Waide, Norton, Gibson, Balde, Mahon, Carroll, Towe, McCaffrey.

Subs: Gartside, McMenemy, O'Brien, Francis, McCloskey, Teggart, Da Silva.

Image source, BBC Sport

Here's what is in store in the Irish Cup and Irish Premiership today.

Image source, Inpho

The stakes couldn't be much higher as the north Belfast rivals collide this afternoon for a place in the final four of this season's Irish Cup.

Declan Caddell freshens his Crues line-up with Jordan Forsythe and Ross Clarke drafted in for Robbie Weir and Jay Boyd following their narrow 1-0 triumph over Glenavon.

Jim Magilton keeps faith with the side that dispatched Glentoran 2-0 last time out as the holders look to retain the trophy they won in dramatic fashion back in May.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Stewart, Blaney, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Larmour, Clarke, Franklin.

Subs: Brown, Weir, Williamson, Smith, O’Connor, King, Barr.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis, Kearney, Hale, Curran, Conlan, Gordon, Casey, Keaney, Wilson, Parsons.

Subs: Odumosu, Pepper, Piesold, Gormley, Glynn, McWoods, Corrigan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Hello and welcome to our coverage of today's three Irish Cup quarter-final ties and one Irish Premiership game.

After Bangor surprised Glentoran to book a place in the semi-finals of the competition on Friday night, who else will join them there?

Holders Cliftonville will hope to do so as they travel to Seaview to face rivals Crusaders in an intriguing game.

In another all-Premiership affair, struggling Carrick Rangers welcome high-flying Dungannon Swifts to Taylors Avenue.

Championship Ards are hoping to repeat Bangor's feat and knock out Premiership opposition as they take on Loughgall.

There is just one game in the Irish Premiership today after Ballymena v Larne was postponed.

Coleraine, fresh from their win against Linfield at Windsor last week, welcome Portadown with both sides hoping to continue their push for a top six place.

You can follow radio action including build-up and commentary of all the games on BBC Sportsound from 2pm.

We will have live text commentary and in-play clips from all of today's games to follow.

Thanks for joining us - enjoy!

Image source, Inpho