Alex Parsons launches a trademark long throw into the Carrick box, and Jack Keaney rises to glance it on, but the hosts stay alert and hack it clear.

Glenavon get us underway here at Shamrock Park.

The bright pre-match sunshine is starting to subside as Evan Boyce starts the action at the Warden Street Showgrounds.

We're underway at Windsor Park as Stewart Nixon start the action for the visitors.

The newly crowned Irish Premiership champions will attack the Kop End in the first half.

Kick-off at Loughview Leisure Arena.

Alex Parsons gets us going for Cliftonville. Jamie Robinson takes charge of this one as the visitors look to lay down an early marker against a Carrick side with something to prove.

Paul O'Neill gets us underway on a perfect evening for the fourth meeting of these teams this season.

On each of the three previous occasions the away side has taken the points, including Larne here in December.

Will that trend continue tonight...?

BBC iPlayer

You can now watch Dungannon Swifts v Larne on BBC iPlayer or by clicking the play button at the top of this page.

There are three changes to the Portadown side that lost 1-0 to Coleraine in their last league outing.

Aaron McCarey returns to goals, with Ben Wylie and Ahu Obhakhan also returning to the starting line-up.

The changes see goalkeeper Jordan Williamson drop to the bench, alongside James Teelan and Tabu Rabby Minzamba.

Meanwhile, Glenavon make two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Larne last time out.

Mark Byrne starts in goals at the expense of Tadhg Ryan, and Christopher Atherton also returns to the starting line-up after missing the Larne fixture due to international commitments.

Portadown: McCarey, Chapman, McCullough, Fyfe, Wylie, Ukek, Traynor, Obhakhan, McCartan, Thompson, Isamala.

Subs: Williamson, Wilson, McCawl, McElroy, Mayse, Teelan, Rabby Minzamba.

Glenavon: Byrne, Toure, O’Sullivan, Malone, McDaid, Campbell, Atherton, McKeown, Murphy, O’Connor, Carlin.

Subs: Ryan, Marshall, Snoddy, Lynch, Heaney, McGovern, Wilson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Cliftonville striker Joe Gormley said that his side are determined to retain the Irish Cup to honour their late teammate Michael Newberry.

Gormley scored the opening goal in the 3-0 semi-final win against Ards as the Reds booked their place in a second successive final.

Members of Newberry's family were in the crowd for the last-four tie, and Gormley hopes they can celebrate with the team again if they beat Dungannon Swifts in the final on Saturday, 3 May.

"We would love Michael to be here and be part of the team while playing but we will always remember him and hopefully come the final we can bring home the cup for him," Gormley told BBC Sport NI.

The striker showed composure to fire the Reds ahead against their Championship opposition and was relieved to play his part in helping Cliftonville reach another final

"I was just on my toes, and I was glad it found the back of the net because we were a bit edgy, we were snapping at everything," he explained.

"It's amazing to be in another final, at Cliftonville you want to play in the big occasions, the League Cup final was incredible as was last year's Irish Cup final so we're hoping to get our hands on it for a second year in a row now."

Image source, Press Eye

It's back to the bread and butter of the league for Dungannon Swifts this evening following the euphoria of reaching the Irish Cup final on Saturday.

The county Tyrone club is, of course, targeting European qualification on two fronts and hope to take a big step in that direction this evening against the deposed league champions.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the exertions of the weekend, Swifts manager Rodney McAree makes five changes to his starting line-up.

Club captain Dean Curry gets the night off while James Knowles, John McGovern, Leo Alves and striker Andy Mitchell start among the subs.

In their place come Caolan Marron, Tomas Galvin, Thomas Maguire, Brandon Bermingham and Cahal McGinty, who wears the captain's armband.

Larne boss Gary Haveron, meanwhile, makes just the two changes to the side which edged past Glenavon 1-0.

Mark Randall doesn't make the matchday squad while leading scorer Andy Ryan is named among the replacements. Their places are taken by Olatunde Bayode and Tiarnan O'Connor.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Marron, Dillon, Glenny, McGinty (c), Galvin, Maguire, Wallace, Bermingham, Bigirimana.

Subs: Henderson, King, Knowles, McGovern, Alves, Hutchinson, Mitchell.

Larne: Ferguson, Want, Donnelly, O'Neill, O'Connor, S. Graham, McEneff, Nolan, Cosgrove (c), Gallagher, Bayode.

Subs: D. Graham, McKendry, Bolger, Sloan, Ryan, Devlin, Simpson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says there were "a few tears in the dugout" in the closing minutes of his side's 2-0 Irish Cup semi-final win over Bangor as the realisation that the county Tyrone side were about to book a place in the decider against Cliftonville sunk in.

Kyle Owens' first-half own goal and Dean Curry's header in the second period ensured Dungannon's passage to the May 3 showpiece at Windsor Park.

It will be the Stangmore Park club's second appearance in an Irish Cup final - McAree was part of the team which went down to Linfield on penalties in the 2007 final.

"It's something I've dreamt of all my life. Obviously I'm a Dungannon Swifts lad, it's my club," McAree told BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound programme.

"I always had an ambition that I wanted to play in an Irish Cup final with Dungannon Swifts and as soon as I started doing my coaching badges I knew that I wanted to be a manager or a head coach in an Irish Cup final and to be the head coach at Dungannon Swifts and go to an Irish Cup final is something special, something that we'll look forward to and something that I'll take great pride in."

Image source, Press Eye

It's back-to-back meetings within the space of 10 days for these sides but a fair bit has changed in the intervening period.

Darren Murphy has been named as the new Loughgall boss, but David Johnstone remains in temporary charge this evening.

There have also been changes in the playing personnel for both sides since Loughgall's 2-1 win just over a week ago.

Sam Johnston starts a league game in goal for Ballymena for the first time since August in place of Sean O'Neill, while Caolan Loughran, Shane Flynn and Conor Barr return to the starting line-up at the expense of Daithi McCallion, Aaron Jarvis and Jordan McMullan.

Loughgall make two changes from that recent meeting with Alberto Balde and Conor McCloskey replacing Adam Towe and Daire Kelly.

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

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

Loughgall: Gartside, Andrade, Murdock, Francis, Norton, Gibson, Mahon, McCloskey, Balde, Waide, Magee.

Subs: Turker, T Kelly, O'Brien, McCaffrey, McLaughlin, D Kelly, Gutteres.

Image source, BBC Sport

Loughgall have announced former Dungannon Swifts boss Darren Murphy as their new manager on a three-year deal.

Murphy's appointment follows confirmation earlier this week of his departure as manager of League of Ireland First Division side Finn Harps.

He replaces former Villagers boss Dean Smith, who recently parted company with the struggling Lakeview Park outfit.

Loughgall sit nine points adrift of Carrick Rangers at the foot of the table, having won just four and drawn six of their 33 league matches to date this season.

The 50-year-old's previous coaching jobs also include being part of the backroom staff at both Linfield and Crusaders.

Loughgall chairman Sam Nicholson said: "We moved swiftly to appoint a new manager and after a thorough selection process, we believe Darren is the ideal candidate to drive Loughgall FC forward.

"His vision and expertise will be invaluable in developing our boys and girls youth academies.

"We are excited to see Darren's impact throughout the club and are committed to ensuring a successful future for Loughgall FC."

The current backroom staff will remain in place for tonight's game against Ballymena, with Murphy in attendance.

Image source, Press Eye

Stephen Baxter makes four changes following Carrick’s 3-0 defeat at Solitude, with Ross Glendinning restored in goal and Benjamin Buchanan-Rolleston, Joe Crowe and Cian O’Malley also drafted in.

Jack McIntyre, Albert Watson, Ethan Boyle, and Reece Webb are the quartet that makes way.

The visitors, fresh from booking a second consecutive Irish Cup final place, make five alterations from the side that overcame Ards.

David Odumosu replaces Lewis Ridd in goal, while Arran Pettifer, Michael Glynn, Alex Parsons and Ryan Corrigan are handed starts ahead of Rory Hale, Shea Gordon, Harry Wilson and Joe Gormley.

The Reds name just six substitutes.

Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Forsythe, Cushley, Maciulaitis, McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston, Clucas, Crowe, Gibson, O’Brien, O’Malley.

Subs: McIntyre, Watson, Andrews, Webb, Forbes, Hastings, O’Reilly.

Cliftonville: Odumsou, Stewart, Addis, Pettifer, Kearney, Curran, Conlan, Glynn, Keaney, Parsons, Corrigan.

Subs: Ridd, Hale, Gormley, McGuiness, McWoods, Madden.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Linfield have already been crowned champions and will lift the Gibson Cup for a record-extending 57th time against rivals Glentoran on Saturday, 5 April.

Behind that, the race for a second place and automatic European qualification is tight, with just five points separating the remaining five teams in the top half of the table.

Larne, whose two-year title run was halted by Linfield, and Glentoran are in a strong position to contend for second place.

Both are level on points and Larne only hold the advantage by just two goals.

If either slip up, then Dungannon Swifts and Crusaders are poised to pounce with a late charge.

Just four points off second, the Swifts and Crues are level on 50 points. Not only do the Swifts have a small goal difference advantage, but Rodney McAree's side are also in the Irish Cup final and can secure automatic European qualification if they beat Cliftonville in the Windsor Park decider.

Coleraine are also in the mix after a recent upturn in form. The Bannsiders are an outside bet for , but know their run of six matches undefeated has guaranteed them a play-off place no matter what happens above them.

It has been 10 days since these sides were last in action and they should be fresh and raring to go at a sun-kissed Oval.

After their 1-0 defeat here last time out to Crusaders, Glentoran manager Declan Devine makes three changes to his line-up. In come Shane McEleney, Danny Amos and Jordan Jenkins, in the hope for a change of fortunes for the east Belfast side who are without a win in five.

Dean Shiels makes just the two changes from his side's 1-0 win over Portadown last week with Jack Scott and Rhyss Campbell recalled to the side as Coleraine chase an outside chance of making it to second position come the end of the season and the Euro qualification that goes along with it.

Glentoran: Gyollai, McEleney, Amos, Kane (c), Lyons-Foster, Sule, Lindsay, Thomson, Jenkins, Fisher, Wightman.

Subs: Mills, Hvid, Pattisson, Connolly, Wassim, Douglas, Thorndike.

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

Subs: Little, Jarvis, Murray, Burns, Devine, Smith, McManus.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

In the bottom half of the table it seems a case of if, not when, Loughgall's relegation to the Championship will be confirmed.

The Villagers, who will play their first match under new manager Darren Murphy on Tuesday against Ballymena United, are nine points behind Carrick Rangers, and have a worse goal difference.

Should Loughgall lose to Ballymena, and Carrick defeat Cliftonville, then Loughgall's relegation would be all but confirmed.

Stephen Baxter's Carrick are in no man's land in 11th, and will likely face a relegation/promotion play-off against a Championship side.

Irish Cup semi-finalists Bangor are currently eight points clear at the top of the second tier and look set for automatic promotion, while there are a host of teams behind - including H&W Welders, Limavady United and Annagh United - who could take on Carrick for the final place in next season's Premiership.

Glenavon are also isolated in 10th position, but above that there is a race for the European play-off spot.

Cliftonville currently hold that advantage in seventh, and are level on points with Portadown, while Ballymena United are just three points behind.

The team that finishes in seventh position will qualify for a European play-off, but Cliftonville can also qualify for Europe by winning the Irish Cup.

In the event that Jim Magilton's Reds win the Irish Cup and finish seventh, the European play-off will consist of teams in the top half.

However, if Cliftonville finish outside the top seven and beat Dungannon Swifts in the Windsor Park final, then it is likely that seventh will face sixth in a play-off quarter-final before third through fifth enter at the semi-final stage.

It might be April Fools' Day, but Linfield's dominance this season in the Irish Premiership has been no joke.

The Blues are 22 points ahead of their nearest challengers, and could extend that lead even further with a win tonight against a Crusaders side they have beaten in the last seven head-to-head meetings.

In terms of team news, David Healy names a completely different starting XI from last week's 3-0 win at Dungannon.

Declan Caddell on the other hand makes three changes with Stewart Nixon, Daniel Larmour and Harry Franklin coming in at the expense of Robbie Weir, Jacob Blaney and Harry Jewitt-White.

Linfield: Johns, Roscoe, Whiteside, Allen, McDaid, Ballantyne, McKee (capt), Archer, Offord, McCullough, McKay.

Subs: Walsh, Shields, Millar, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Annett, Morrison.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry (capt), Stewart, Forsythe, O'Rourke, Larmour, Clarke, Nixon, Franklin, Barr.

Subs: Brown, Weir, Jewitt-White, Williamson, O'Connor, Boyd, Anderson.

Image source, BBC Sport

With the Gibson Cup on its way to Windsor Park, the focus for the Irish Premiership is now firmly on who can secure an automatic European spot for next season.

Finishing second to Linfield will guarantee that for one club with another spot available through the end of season play-offs.

As the race for that automatic spot heats up, BBC Sport NI will bring you the best of the action.

Tonight, we'll bring you live coverage of the side currently in second spot - Larne - as they travel to Dungannon Swifts on BBC iPlayer.

The final 'Big Two' game of the season will be live on BBC Two NI on Saturday 5 April with Linfield looking to put a dent in their rivals Glentoran's ambitions for that second-place finish.

On the penultimate weekend of the season, we'll bring you Linfield's visit to Larne while on Saturday 26 April you'll be able to watch Larne against Glentoran with both games again on the BBC iPlayer.

Full live coverage details

Tuesday 1 April: Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Saturday 5 April: Linfield v Glentoran (13:00 BST) - BBC Two NI

Friday 18 April: Larne v Linfield (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Saturday 26 April: Larne v Glentoran (17:30 BST) - BBC iPlayer

Image source, Press Eye

Hello and welcome to our coverage of tonight's full set of post-split Irish Premiership fixtures.

With the title already wrapped up and the trophy lift to come on Saturday, champions Linfield entertain Crusaders at Windsor Park tonight.

Behind them, there are a number of teams battling it out to secure second place and automatic European qualification.

Currently occupying that position are Larne, who travel to Stangmore Park to take on Dungannon Swifts in a game that will be live on BBC iPlayer.

Fellow contenders Glentoran face in-form Coleraine at the Oval, whilst in the bottom half, Irish Cup holders and now finalists for a second year running Cliftonville are away to Carrick Rangers.

There is a Mid-Ulster derby as Portadown host Glenavon whilst bottom side Loughgall go to the Showgrounds to face Ballymena United.

We will have live text commentary and in-play clips from all six games.

Thanks for joining us - enjoy!

Image source, Press Eye