Axel Piesold gives away possession deep inside his own half giving Glentoran a sniff of an opening but David Fisher and Jordan Jenkins are on different wavelengths and the attack peters out.

Shea Gordon spots a gap in the Glentoran rearguard and threads a clever pass into the feet of Ryan Curran.

However, the striker lets the ball slip under his foot and the chance disappears.

Jamie Glackin, who had found space six-yards out, can't get a touch on Jack Scott's looping cross from the right wing.

Scott has made a bright start to this game and is pushing Coleraine forward.

Cliftonville work a short corner which sees Axel Piesold's cross nodded down into the path of Ryan Curran but Glens keeper Daniel Gyollai is quickly off his line to bravely smother the danger.

Jack Scott weaves his way around multiple Crusaders shirts and finds Corey Smith, but he can't control the ball before the Crues can clear their lines.

Coleraine aren't settling for just the one early goal.

Jordan Jenkins - a man not short on confidence after a great season for Glentoran - spots Lewis Ridd off his line and attempts a first time snap-shot from long distance but he fails to get any real purchase on the shot and it trundles harmlessly through to the visiting goalkeepert.

Following an impeccably-observed minute's silence in memory of former Glentoran player/manager Peter McParland, referee Steven Gregg starts the action at a sun-splashed Oval.

A long, hard season will end for one of these teams at the conclusion of this match – neither side will want to be in that position.

Ronan Doherty gets the ball rolling at the Showgrounds.

Will Crusaders remain unbeaten against the Bannsiders this season or will Ruaidhri Higgins' reign as Coleraine manager get off to a winning start?

Cliftonville will have to move on quickly from their heartbreaking Irish Cup final defeat against Dungannon Swifts on Saturday as they look to secure European football once again.

The penalty shootout loss will hurt the Reds, who were aiming for back-to-back Irish Cup wins and a place in the Uefa Conference League second qualifying round that winning the competition brings.

Instead, they must go through the play-offs, something they have succeeded at before having won the play-off final three times.

It will, however, be difficult for Jim Magilton to pick his side up mentally and physically given so many players lasted the full 120 minutes.

They are set to be without forward Alex Parsons, who came on in the second half at Windsor Park on Saturday, only to go off soon after with what looked like an arm injury.

The Reds will be underdogs against the Glens, having finished seventh during a dismal league campaign in which they won just six away games.

Magilton's side did beat the Glens at Solitude in February and in the BetMcLean League Cup final thanks to Joe Gormley's extra-time goal.

Image source, Inpho

Glentoran will feel that they should not be in the position of having to navigate the play-offs having spent the majority of the season in second place.

However, a run of just three wins from their last 10 league games resulted in Declan Devine's side being pipped to second and automatic European qualification by Larne on the last day of the season after the two sides drew 0-0.

That goalless draw at Inver Park won't live long in the memory, but the brawl that broke out after the game certainly will and the ramifications will impact Devine's team selection for the semi-final against Cliftonville.

Winger Dylan Connolly has been suspended for 12 matches whilst Fuad Sule and Christie Pattisson, have been suspended for nine matches each.

Devine can still call upon key striker Jordan Jenkins, who netted 12 league goals, including a stunning strike in a 1-0 win against Cliftonville in August.

The Glens have won two of the four meetings between the two sides this season, with both of those victories coming at home.

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Despite finishing sixth, a place below Coleraine in the league table, Crusaders come into this game with the more favourable record in terms of fixtures between the two teams.

Declan Caddell's side have won all five meetings against Coleraine in all competitions this season.

They also beat Coleraine in last year's play-off final at Seaview as Jordan Owens scored an injury-time winner to help the north Belfast side to a 3-2 win in Stephen Baxter's final domestic game in charge.

If the Crues are able to repeat the feat this year and win another play-off final to secure European football it would be a good first year in charge for Caddell.

His side, like many this season, struggled for consistency in the league and were hit by Kieran Offord's departure to Linfield in January after his bright start to life for the Hatchetmen.

They will be boosted by the return of Jordan Stewart for the semi-final after he missed the last three league games after being sent off against Larne.

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Tonight's semi-final will be a baptism of fire for new boss Ruaidhri Higgins, who takes charge of Coleraine for the first time against Crusaders.

Higgins was only appointed last Friday, succeeding Dean Shiels who guided the Bannsiders to fifth in his sole season in charge.

The former Derry City manager will hope to hit the ground running by masterminding Coleraine's first victory against the Crues at the sixth attempt this season and arguably when it matters most.

Crusaders have inflicted plenty of misery on Coleraine this season and last as the Bannsiders were beaten by the Crues in last year's play-off final.

The hosts will be without captain Lyndon Kane for the crunch encounter after he sustained a season ending shoulder injury in the 3-0 league loss at Seaview a fortnight ago.

Jamie McGonigle will be available having returned from his own injury lay-off against Linfield whilst Levi Ives is also back from injury.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Let's have a look at how all four sides are shaping up ahead of tonight's two semi-finals.

Cliftonville's heartbreaking Irish Cup final defeat against Dungannon Swifts on penalties means that the Reds have been condemned to the play-offs as they look to secure a place in Europe.

The Reds are away to Glentoran in the semi-final and captain Rory Hale said it is now his job to pick up his devastated team-mates for a massive game.

The north Belfast club have endured an incredibly tough season despite winning the BetMcLean Cup in March after defender Michael Newberry died suddenly in December.

"We can't cry over spilt milk, it's over and done with now, but it's very disheartening for myself," he said.

"I put a lot into this season, and it's been really, really emotional for us.

"The young players have gone through a lot, the highs of winning a trophy, the lows of, losing a team-mate and finishing in the bottom half of the table, and now another bit of heartbreak for them, to try and cope with.

"It's up to myself, Jonny Addis and Joe Gormley, to really get these kids motivated again for Wednesday night because we need European football."

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Declan Devine makes two enforced changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Larne in their last league game, with Fuad Sule and Dylan Connolly suspended.

Frankie Hvid and James Douglas take their places.

There is the welcome return of Josh Kelly and James Singleton on the bench after their injury lay-offs.

Cliftonville show three alterations from the side that lost on penalties in the Irish Cup final against Dungannon Swifts on Saturday.

Lewis Ridd replaces David Odumosu in goal whilst Axel Piesold and Eric McWoods come in for Harry Wilson and Joe Gormley.

Glentoran: Gyollai, Amos, Lyons-Foster, Kane (c), Hvid, Russell, Douglas, Thomson, Palmer, Fisher, Jenkins.

Subs: Mills, Singleton, McEleney, Kelly, Ferris, Thorndike, Wightman.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis, Kearney, Hale, Curran, Conlan, Gordon, Piesold, Casey, Keaney, McWoods.

Subs: Breen, Pepper, Donnelly, Gormley, Glynn, McGuinness, Corrigan.

New Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says winning the Irish Premiership is the "ultimate goal" for the ambitious top flight club but progress must be made "step-by-step" in moving towards achieving that.

Higgins was revealed as Dean Shiels' successor in the role on Friday and will take charge of the Bannsiders' European play-off semi-final against Crusaders.

The 40-year-old takes over at the helm at a time when the Ballycastle Road club is the subject of major investment, including from executive chairman and majority shareholder Henry Ross, and is finishing its first year operating to a full-time model.

Joel Cooper, a key figure in Linfield's convincing Irish Premiership success, is among the players who will be joining Coleraine in the summer.

"You want to be part of clubs who want to be successful. This club definitely wants success but you have to take it in stages as well," said the former Derry City boss.

"You have to compete first, unsettle the teams above you, and the next stage then is winning. It's step-by-step.

"But I'm very confident. There are a lot of smashing players here at the minute. I've seen that at first hand, players that I am really looking forward to working with."

Read more from Higgins here.

Ruaidhri Higgins names his first starting XI as Coleraine manager and makes three changes to the side who defeated Linfield in the final game of the season.

Jack Scott, Levi Ives and Corey Smith start with Dean Jarvis and Paddy Burns dropping to the bench and top goalscorer in the league Matthew Shevlin injured.

There are also three switches to the Crusaders line-up that lost against Dungannon Swifts in their final game of the league campaign.

Josh Williamson, Jordan Forsythe and Ross Clarke replace Daniel Larmour, Alex King and Jay Boyd.

Coleraine: Little, Scott, McClelland, Dunne, Ives, Doherty, Boyle, Glackin, Smith, McManus, Campbell.

Subs: Brown, Jarvis, Spence, Burns, McGonigle, Tejada, Devine.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Barr, Callacher, Weir, O'Rourke, Williamson, Clarke, Franklin, Forsythe, Lowry, Nixon.

Subs: Brown, Stewart, Owens, O'Connor, King, Boyd, McCart.

Glentoran winger Dylan Connolly has been suspended for 12 matches as eight individuals are handed bans after the post-match brawl with Larne in the Irish Premiership.

Players and staff from both clubs have faced sanctions by the Irish FA, however Connolly has received the most severe punishment.

Larne duo Aaron Donnelly and Conor McKendry, along with Glentoran's Fuad Sule and Christie Pattisson, have been suspended for nine matches each.

The quartet were all shown a red card by referee Jamie Robinson after the final whistle and have been handed an additional six-game ban on top of the three matches that came with their dismissals for violent conduct.

Larne striker Paul O'Neill has been banned for six matches for his role in the melee, while Glentoran director Paul Millar and club physio Declan O'Donnell have been suspended for five and six matches respectively.

The brawl started after the final whistle of the last league game of the season at Inver Park, where the goalless draw was enough for Larne to secure second place and European qualification at the expense of the Glens.

Both clubs were also fined £1000 and a further £100 by the IFA for each suspension.

Glentoran have a maximum of two matches remaining in the European play-offs this season, while Larne's campaign has come to a close.

That means any remaining suspensions will carry over into the new season in August.

Glentoran declined to comment on the sanctions, while Larne said the club will review the decision before deciding whether to appeal.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

The other teams that have already qualified for European football next season are Irish Premiership champions Linfield, who will enter the Champions League first round qualifying stage.

Larne, who enjoyed a historic Uefa Conference League campaign last year are back in the first qualifying round for the competition next year after finishing second. They will play their European games at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Dungannon Swifts won their first ever Irish Cup at the weekend and will next season embark on a maiden European campaign. As cup winners, they enter the Uefa Conference League at the second qualifying stage and will play their home European games at Cliftonville's Solitude.

Image source, Inpho