Carrick think they have an early lead, but Ethan Boyle's close range strike is ruled out for offside.

We are underway at a sunny Taylors Avenue.

Jack Malone kicks proceedings off for the visitors and we're underway at Windsor Park.

The Blues will attack the Kop Stand in the first half.

Referee Ben McMaster starts the action at a bright but cold Ballymena Showgrounds where the much talked-about playing surface has changed from wet and soggy to hard and bobbly.

Paul Leeman
Former Glentoran captain on BBC Sportsound

It is amazing how things have turned so quickly for Glentoran in the last few weeks, being knocked out of the Irish Cup by Bangor and losing the League Cup last week. All of a sudden, second place becomes a must for Glentoran. The league is now the full focus, Glentoran won't get it easy, Carrick are scrapping for everything, but the Glens need to get a result because it is getting tight in the race for second.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

Paddy has completely transformed the mindset at Glenavon and in the process has ensured their Irish Premiership status for next season.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

They're [Linfield] the champions in waiting, we know that. I think David Healy's job will be trying to keep the team focused. It's a race for second now and the other places up for grabs. Are they the best team in the league? Of course they are. Are they the best Linfield team I've ever seen? I don't think so.

Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree said that he was "over the moon" with their 2-0 victory against Cliftonville at Solitude on Wednesday night.

After the Reds dominated the first half, second-half goals from James Knowles and John McGovern helped the Swifts get back to winning ways in the league.

And McAree was delighted with his side's second half display to take home the three points that could prove vital in their quest to secure a top six place.

"I'm over the moon, we got off to a poor start, Cliftonville were outstanding first half and we struggled to get to grips with their shape and movement," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We were more compact in the second half, and we used the ball better. We get a free-kick on the edge of the box and Knowles scored and then it's a great delivery from Leo Alves and John McGovern rises to glance it in.

"We didn't show any nerves, and we restricted Cliftonville to very little and kept a clean sheet."

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

New Northern Ireland call-up Ronan Hale says he can "handle" any "grief" he receives for completing his international transfer from the Republic of Ireland.

The 26-year-old former Cliftonville striker was included in manager Michael O'Neill's squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden after he received clearance to play for Northern Ireland in January.

Belfast-born Hale represented the Republic at under-19 and under-21 level.

"Obviously I'm going to get some grief here and there and it was a big decision but it's one that I'm happy with and I'm really looking forward to getting going," Hale told BBC Sport NI.

"I'm a big lad, I can handle it. It's one of those where you've made decision and it's just moving on with it. I take it with a pinch of salt and if they're not liking it I'll get them on board hopefully with what I do on the pitch.

"I feel it's the right decision for my career and for my family. It's one you can look back on when you're done playing football and can say you've played international football."

Read more here

Image source, SNS

Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann said that his side have "mixed emotions" after their entertaining 3-3 draw against Glenavon on Wednesday night.

The Lurgan Blues raced into a 2-0 lead at the break at the Oval, before Glentoran fought back, with half-time substitute Jordan Jenkins scoring twice after Joe Thomson had pulled a goal back.

And whilst pleased with the character shown to fight back to lead, McCann was disappointed they couldn't hold on for victory.

"Where do you start? It's mixed emotions that we went ahead and couldn't get the win, the game management needs to be better, and we need to switch on," he told BBC Sport NI.

"It was a great game, Glenavon were fantastic, they came here with a gameplan and played us off the pitch in the first half.

"It was the old football adage a game of two halves, they won the first half, and we won the second."

Image source, PACEMAKER

Two sides separated by two points in the league table and still with aspirations of reaching the top six go head-to-head at the Showgrounds.

Ballymena make one change from their 2-1 midweek defeat by Larne, with Ethan Devine starting for the first time since mid-January in place of Calvin McCurry, who is named among the substitutes.

Cliftonville haven’t won away from Solitude in the league since November and that has halted their progress in the standings.

The Reds make three changes from the side which lost at home to Dungannon in midweek as Ryan Curran, Luke Conlon and Alex Parson start in place of Joe Gormley, Michael Glynn and Ryan Corrigan.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Barr, McCallion, O'Donnell, Lafferty, McMullan, Jarvis, McEleney, Corbally, Edogun, Devine.

Subs: Johnston, Kennedy, Moore, McCurry, Loughran, Hawe, Carson.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Kearney, Keaney, Casey, Addis, Conlon, Piesold, Wilson, Hale, Parsons, Curran.

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

Image source, BBC Sport

Cliftonville came back down to earth after celebrating last Sunday's BetMcLean Cup triumph as they went down to a 2-0 home defeat by Dungannon Swifts three days later.

The visitors earned a Solitude victory courtesy of James Knowles' free-kick and a John McGovern goal.

The win consolidates the Swifts' place in the top half of the table as they lie fourth and still in the hunt for that coveted second position while the Reds are

Read report here

Carrick Rangers will be hoping to get back to winning ways today after their loss to Portadown a week ago. Manager Stephen Baxter makes two changes to the starting line-up with David Cushley and Jack Hastings drafted in.

Declan Devine makes three changes to his Glentoran troops who were held by Glenavon in a thrilling 3-3 draw midweek. Ciaran Coll, Cammy Palmer and Jordan Jenkins all come into the side for the league's second-placed team.

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

Subs: Mather; Watson, Buchanan-Rolston, Cherry, Webb, Forbes, O'Reilly.

Glentoran: Gyollai, Wightman, Kane, Lyons-Foster, Coll, Sule, Palmer, Thomson, Pattisson, Fisher, Jenkins.

Subs: Mills, McEleney, Lindsay, Thorndike, Hvid, Ferris, Douglas.

Image source, BBC Sport

Glentoran fought back from 2-0 down to lead Glenavon at the Oval on Wednesday night before having to settle for a 3-3 draw.

Goals from Michael O'Connor and Harry Lynch had the visitors 2-0 ahead at the break but a Joe Thomson strike and a double from Jordan Jenkins saw the hosts move 3-2 ahead.

Paul McGovern grabbed a leveller in the exciting encounter but the draw sees second-placed Glentoran sit three points clear of Larne in the battle for the runner-up spot which would guarantee European football.

Read report here

Declan Caddell makes two changes to the starting XI who were defeated by Linfield last weekend with Jordan Forsythe and Ross Clarke replacing Jordan Stewart and Daniel Larmour, who both drop to the bench.

There are four switches to the Loughgall side that were beaten by Larne. Pablo Andrade, Ryan Waide, Jordan Gibson and Lee McMenemy replace Matthew O'Brien, Lewis Francis, Francis McCaffrey and the suspended Robbie Norton,

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Weir, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Blaney, Forsythe, O'Rourke, Clarke, Franklin, Barr.

Subs: Brown, Stewart, Larmour, O'Connor, King, Boyd, Nixon.

Loughgall: Gartside, Murdock, Andrade, Waide, Gibson, McMenemy, Balde, Carroll, Towe, McCloskey, McLaughlin.

Subs: Turker, O'Brien, Francis, Mahon, Magee, McCaffrey, Kelly.

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Carrick Rangers, Glentoran and Portadown keeper Aaron Hogg has described how his battle with a gambling addiction resulted in him losing his house, car and the breakdown of his marriage.

The 37-year-old, who now plays for Championship side Dundela, said he wanted to share his story about addiction so others involved within the game can have the confidence to seek help.

He said at the height of the problem his life "absolutely revolved around roulette".

It follows a warning by Michael Carvill of the Professional Footballers' Association of Northern Ireland (PFA NI) that the gambling problem within the game here is an "epidemic".

Read more here

Image source, PACEMAKER

Linfield welcome Glenavon to Windsor Park looking to move one step closer to their 57th league title.

The last time these two sides met was in south Belfast back in December. The Blues ran out 1-0 winners on that occasion, extending their winning run against the Lurgan Blues to 10 games.

Depending on how Glentoran get on against Carrick, Linfield can all but wrap up the Gibson Cup this afternoon.

David Healy makes three changes to his starting XI that defeated Crusaders 2-0 at Seaview last Friday night. Kirk Millar, Callumn Morrison and Cameron Ballantyne come in for Euan East, Ethan McGee and Kyle McClean. New signing Alejandro Rodriguez Gorrin in names on the bench.

Paddy McLaughlin too makes three alterations to his side that drew 3-3 on Tuesday night at the Oval. David McDaid, Barney McKeown and Harry Murphy all come in from the start, with Chris Atherton dropping to the bench and Niall Quinn and Michael O'Connor missing out.

Linfield: Walsh, Shields, Millar, Cooper, Hall, Ballantyne, Archer, Mulgrew (capt), Fitzpatrick, Morrison, Orr.

Subs: Johns, East, Gorrin, McKee, Offord, McGee, Annett.

Glenavon: Byrne, Toure, O'Sullivan, Snoddy, Malone, McDaid, Campbell, Lynch, McKeown (capt), Murphy, Carlin.

Subs: Deane, Marshall, Atherton, Prendergast, A.Heaney, McGovern, J.Heaney.

Image source, BBC Sport

Carrick Rangers defender Cameron Stewart is in hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm earlier this week.

The Irish Premiership club released a statement on Friday to confirm that the 28-year-old has had "successful surgery" and is now being "carefully monitored and resting".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Cameron and his family at this time," the statement continued, external.

Stewart joined Carrick from Glentoran in 2022 after spells with Linfield, Ards and Glenavon.

Image source, Carrick Rangers

It's not often we get to enjoy a full programme of Premiership fixtures on a Saturday, but this is one of those special occasions.

We kick off with four 15:00 GMT games including runaway leaders Linfield hoping to continue their march to the title against Glenavon at Windsor Park.

The Blues sit 18 points clear of second-placed Glentoran, who travel to take on Carrick Rangers.

Cliftonville followed up their BetMcLean Cup success with a home defeat to Dungannon Swifts on Wednesday and the Reds will hope to get back to winning ways against Ballymena United at the Showgrounds.

Loughgall are 12 points adrift at the bottom and games are running out for the Villagers as they visit Crusaders.

Stay with us for live stream coverage of the Inver Park encounter between champions Larne and Coleraine at 17:30.

The other late match sees the Swifts go up against Portadown at Shamrock Park.

We'll bring you text commentary and in-play clip for all six games.

Thanks for joining us.

Image source, Press Eye