After making a raft of midweek changes in the County Antrim Shield, both managers revert back to the panels that have earned both sides an encouraging start to the campaign.

Ballymena make one change from their most recent league game at Larne as Jack O'Reilly starts a league game for the first time, at the expense of Aaron Jarvis.

Glentoran's midweek Shield win over Ards allowed manager Declan Devine to re-introduce Pat Hoban and Daniel Larmour following injuries and both start today, with Jordan Stewart and Liam Burt the players to make way from last week's league draw with Carrick.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Toure, Gould, O'Donnell, Clarke, Thompson, McEleney, Corbally, O'Reilly, Kennedy, McCurry.

Subs: Breen, Nelson, Lafferty, Jarvis, O'Connor, Edogun, McCallion.

Glentoran: Mills, Cooney, McEleney, Larmour, Kane, Amos, Kelly, Singleton, Palmer, Hoban, Jenkins.

Subs: Urminsky, Stewart, Ferris, Burt, Kamara, Lindsay, Douglas.

Image source, BBC Sport

Bangor go into this one under the guidance of assistant John Douglas, with manager Lee Feeney suspended following his red card in the County Antrim Shield.

Feeney has reacted to last week’s 3-0 defeat at Carrick Rangers by ringing the changes, with Caomhan McGuinness, Reece Neale, Mark Haughey, Liam Hassin, Tiarnan Mulvenna, Ben Arthurs, Ben Cushnie, Jack O’Mahoney, and Stephen McGuinness all drafted into the starting side.

Opponents Larne remain in the hands of interim boss Gary Haveron, who shuffles his pack following the narrow 1-0 win over Queen’s University.

Out go Dylan Graham, Logan Wallace, Dan Bent, Conor McKendry and Kobei Moore, while Rohan Ferguson, Mark Randall, Sean Graham, Ryan Nolan and Matty Lusty are all handed starts.

Bangor: Deane, C. McGuinness, Neale (c), Haughey, Hassin, Mulvenna, Arthurs, Cushnie, O’Mahoney, Lynch, S. McGuinness

Subs: Grogan, Owens, McArthur, Francis, Garrett, Morgan, Osew.

Larne: Ferguson, Ridley, Gallagher, Randall, O’Connor, S. Graham, Magee, Nolan, Cosgrove (c), Lusty, Simpson.

Subs: D. Graham, McKendry, McEneff, Bent, Moore, Harkin, Wallace.

Image source, BBC Sport

Crusaders manager Declan Caldwell makes two changes to the side which went down 2-1 at Portadown eight days ago - and they're significant changes.

Club captain Jarlath O'Rourke returns to lead the side while there is a welcome first start of the campaign for the equally experienced Ross Clarke.

The men to make way are Brendan Hamilton and Lloyd Anderson, both of whom drop to the bench.

Bannsiders' boss Ruadhri Higgins, meanwhile, makes four changes to the team which last played a league game at Glenavon a fortnight ago - a game they won.

Defenders Charles Dunne and Kodi Lyons-Foster are both missing through injury, as is Jamie McGonigle, while striker Declan McManus is named among the replacements.

Replacing them are Dean Jarvis and Cameron Stewart in defence while Jamie Glackin returns after injury and last season's leading scorer Matthew Shevlin gets the nod up front.

Crusaders: Tuffey, K. Forsythe, Weir, Brooks, Dunlop, Easton, J. Forsythe, O'Rourke (c), Bryden, Clare, Barr.

Subs: Nimaga, Hamilton, Thorndike, Williamson, McCart, Oilibhear McCart, Anderson.

Coleraine: Harris, Kane (c), Jarvis, Boyle, McGregor, Patching, Shevlin, Cooper, Ives, Glackin, Stewart.

Subs: Hoey-Kemp, Long, Doherty, McDonald, Okoro, McManus, Devlin.

Referee: Louise Thompson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mourneview Park is the venue for today's meeting of the bottom two sides in the Irish Premiership. These are also the only two teams remaining in the division without a single point to their name, but that will not be the case come full-time.

Glenavon have made five changes to the team that lost 3-1 at Cliftonville last time out, as manager Paddy McLaughlin rolls the dice. Harry Murphy, David McDaid and Michael O'Connor are recalled, and there are first home games for Oran O'Kane and Joshua Kee.

Swifts' manager Rodney McAree makes four changes as he seeks a return to the glory days of last season.

Leo Alves and Thomas Maguire are drafted in, whilst there is a league debut for former Glentoran man Junior, who scored a double on his debut in midweek in a Mid-Ulster tie.

Glenavon: Carney, Murphy, McKeown (c), McDaid, O'Kane, McClelland, Lomboto, Wilson, Kee, O'Connor, Quinn.

Subs: Byrne, Malone, Lowe, Bosakani, Smith, Carlin, McGovern.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Marron, Wallace, Glenny, Alves, Dillon, Kelly, Maguire, Bigirimana (c), Junior.

Subs: Henderson, Galvin, McGinty, Knowles, McAleese, Smith, Mitchell, McAllister.

Image source, BBC Sport

Holders Cliftonville will begin the defence of the BetMcLean Cup with a home first-round tie against Premier Intermediate side Coagh United.

The Reds beat Glentoran after extra time in last year's final courtesy of substitute Joe Gormley's goal.

The winners of the competition this year will automatically go into the Irish Premiership's European play-off final from next season.

All Irish Premiership sides and the top four ranked Championship clubs were seeded for the draw.

The full draw is as follows, with ties to be played on Tuesday 7 October unless otherwise stated.

Ards v Dungannon Swifts (to be played Wednesday 8 October)

Armagh City v Carrick Rangers

Ballymena United v Ballinamallard United

Bangor v Lisburn Distillery

Cliftonville v Coagh United

Crusaders v Ballymacash Rangers

Dergview v Larne

Dollingstown v Coleraine

H&W Welders v Dundela

Institute v Glentoran

Linfield v Queen's University

Loughgall v Strabane Athletic

Moyola Park v Annagh United

Newington v Limavady United

Newry City v Portadown

Warrenpoint Town v Glenavon

Image source, Inpho

BBC Sport NI and NIFL have confirmed the next set of Irish Premiership fixtures that will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Ballymena v Linfield – Tuesday, 16 September (19:45 BST)

Coleraine v Glentoran – Friday, 19 September (19:45 BST)

Bangor v Linfield – Friday, 26 September (19:45 BST)

Cliftonville v Glentoran – Friday, 3 October (19:45 BST)

Larne v Linfield – Sunday, 12 October (15:00 BST)

Portadown v Linfield – Friday, 17 October (19:45 BST)

Glentoran v Portadown – Friday, 31 October (19:45 GMT)

Cliftonville v Linfield – Sunday, 2 November (15:00 GMT)

Image source, Inpho

Cliftonville said this week that there are "clear gaps and outstanding issues to be resolved" in an update about a proposed takeover of the Irish Premiership club.

Club members voted to accept a proposal from the Toronto Investment Group [TIG] in April.

However, progress on finalising the investment had stalled and Cliftonville held an extraordinary general meeting with members about the takeover on Monday.

"It became evident that there remained clear gaps and outstanding issues still to be resolved," chairperson Kieran Harding said.

"As a result, it was agreed that the board would appoint an additional legal representative who would engage with TIG's lawyers to explore whether a resolution to those issues could be found."

Read more about this story here.

Image source, Inpho

Cliftonville defeated north Belfast rivals Crusaders 2-0 at Solitude in the last-16 of the County Antrim Shield on Tuesday night.

Eric McWoods and Callum McCay scored in the second-half to fire Jim Magilton's side into the quarter-finals.

Pat Hoban scored twice as holders Glentoran beat Championship side Ards 3-1 at the Oval.

Zach Barr pulled a goal back before Jordan Jenkins restored the Glens' two-goal advantage.

Calumn Morrison scored four first-half goals as Linfield ran out 6-1 winners over Championship side H&W Welders.

A James McCarthy own goal and a Chris McKee effort put the Blues six goals up, before Michael McLellan netted a consolation goal for the Welders.

Carrick Rangers' superb start to the season continued as Stephen Baxter's side breezed past Bangor 3-0 at Taylors Avenue.

Jack Scott, Codey James and Ben Buchanan-Rolleston were on target in the win.

Jack O'Reilly and Success Edogun netted as Ballymena United won 2-0 at Ballyclare Comrades, while Chris Gallagher scored a first-half winner as Larne edged past Queen's University at Inver Park.

Championship side Dundela were knocked out following Jonny Doyle's winner in a 1-0 defeat by Ballymacash Rangers.

Image source, Pacemaker

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton has agreed a contract extension to remain at the Solitude club until 2028.

The former Northern Ireland international was appointed in June 2023, leading the Reds to Irish Cup success in 2024.

Alongside assistant manager Gerard Lyttle, who has also signed an extension until 2028, Magilton guided the club to more silverware last season - winning the BetMcLean Cup in March.

"Jim Magilton and Gerard Lyttle have been instrumental in the successes the Club has enjoyed over the last two seasons," chairman Kieran Harding told the Cliftonville website.

"As a management team, they have delivered trophies, European football and some hugely memorable experiences for supporters young and old."

Image source, Inpho

It's one for the traditionalists this afternoon as we have a full six-match Irish Premiership programme to enjoy, all with 15:00 BST kick-offs.

Leaders Glentoran face a testing trip to Ballymena United at the Showgrounds while second-placed Carrick Rangers put their unbeaten start to the campaign on the line at home to Cliftonville.

Coleraine sit third at this early stage of the season . They travel to Seaview to face a Crusaders side who have been struggling at the start of the new term.

Linfield will aim to make it three wins from their first three fixtures when they host Portadown while Larne are away to Bangor.

It may be early in the season to be thinking about potential relegation candidates but there's already a feeling of a significant 'six-pointer' at Mourneview Park this afternoon as Glenavon entertain Dungannon Swifts.

Both teams have lost five straight league games so to say that they will be keen to get some points on the board is something of an understatement.

We will bring you a heady mix of audio coverage of all six matches courtesy of Radio Ulster's Sportsound programme and text coverage from each of the grounds, with in-play clips, and then a report and highlights from all of the fixtures to follow. Stay with us, we have you covered!

Image source, BBC Sport