Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

It's over to the Ballinamallard United players now. The local community looked to have done all they could to ensure the County Fermanagh side arrived at Windsor for their first ever Irish Cup final in good spirits.

As is cup final tradition, both sides have been out in their suits to check the pitch, with both managers deep in discussion in the centre circle long after the players had gone back in to get kitted out.

Lots has been made about what size of a crowd we would have today and, while they're still coming into the stadium, it looks and sounds like it's the followers of the Championship side that are most in the mood.

The Mighty Ducks fans are seated in the Kop (or West Stand in new money) and half of the South Stand, with the Hatchetmen in the other half of the South Stand and the East Stand.

The stage is set and the managers have shown their hands with their teamsheets. Now, it's show time.

It's what the cup final is all about, isn't it?

A community coming together to support their side on the biggest stage in local football.

Cup fever has swept through Ballinamallard and all across Fermanagh.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Ballinamallard United captain Richard Clarke might just have headed for the spare room last night. That's because his wife Claire gave birth to their third child, Theo, just last week.

Ten-day-old babies are not renowned for sleeping soundly through the night, but Clarke will surely have made sure he got the rest he needs to compete against his former side.

We're not sure if baby Theo is Windsor Park-bound, but he'll no doubt hear tales of the afternoon in years to come.

Windsor Park looking resplendent in the spring sunshine.

A few Mallards fans made sure they got there nice and early, and why not?

Why do some people have to be selfish and excel at more than one sport?

Ballinamallard duo Michael Glynn and Darragh McBrien haven't exactly been ever-presents in the Mallards' team this year, but their absence is not without reason.

The teenagers have been busy this year and have already collected two big trophies. They led their school St Michael's, Enniskillen to MacRory AND Hogan Cup triumphs.

And I really mean they led them. McBrien won the man of the match award with a virtuoso display in the MacRory final and scored his side's only goal of the game in the All-Ireland showpiece, in which Glynn picked up man of the match for his seven-point display.

Two genuine stars in the making. McBrien will start today while Glynn is on the bench.

Image source, Inpho

No nerves from this Crues fan...

This week Crusaders got their final day league victory over Ballymena United taken away and replaced with a 3-0 defeat and a £500 fine over an administrative teamsheet error.

And actually, that incident pretty much sums up the Crues' league campaign in a nut shell.

Heavily fancied at the start of the season, Stephen Baxter's 2017/18 champions never looked likely to retain their crown and spluttered to a desperately disappointing fourth place finish.

And so, the Irish Cup run, in which they have defeated Glentoran, Linfield, Ballymena United and Coleraine, has been like water in the desert for Crues fans.

It has been the one reminder of the quality Stephen Baxter's side possess.

Mercifully, football isn't played on paper. If it was, Crusaders would be as good as any team in Northern Ireland. Baxter will be hoping that his team comes to the boil this afternoon.

Image source, Press Eye

W L L L L L L L L D L

That's how Ballinamallard began life back in the Championship this season.

One win, one draw and nine losses in their first 11 games left them clinging to the bottom of the second tier and staring a potential Sunderland-esque embarrassment in the face.

The 11 games after that?

One loss, two draws, eight wins. Like a fine wine, Harry McConkey's men have aged beautifully as the season has gone on, managing the claim a top six finish despite the horrendous start.

These guys have fought their way out of tough situations before, that's certainly an attribute that could come in handy today.

Image source, Press Eye

Lads you'll be roasting in the hat and the scarf.

But if ever there was a day to suffer for your style, it's the Irish Cup final!

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Ian McNabb is the man with the whistle for this afternoon's big game.

It will be an Irish Cup final debut for the Newtownabbey referee, though he did take charge of the League Cup final in 2017 and the Country Antrim Shield decider in 2016.

This season's League Cup final at Windsor saw referee Andrew Davey become a major post-match talking point after a Jim Ervin challenge on Jamie Mulgrew - McNabb will no doubt be hoping for a quieter game today.

Let's get straight to the team news.

Interesting that Stephen Baxter goes for perhaps his most experienced side available. Goalkeeper Harry Doherty and left back Michael Ruddy are the only players in the starting line-up not to have been at the club a year ago.

That means there's no place for Ronan Hale or Rory Hale, while Jordan Owens is selected to lead the line.

No Josh McIlwaine for Ballinamallard of course, after his red card against Carrick in the league. Former Crues man Richard Clarke captains the Mallards while exciting young talent Darragh McBrien is in from the start. More on his exploits in a bit.

Image source, BBC Sport

The sun always seems to be shining on Irish Cup final day, doesn't it?

It's a day that every fan of the local game looks forward to, even more so if their team have made it all the way to the showpiece event.

This time it's the turn of Ballinamallard United. The County Fermanagh side from the Championship making their first appearance in the showpiece event.

And how the village has got behind them.

They are here in their numbers. They've travelled through Augher, Clogher and Fivemiletown, and they now are just half an hour away from watching their team walk out for the biggest 90 (possibly 120) minutes in the club's history.

Aaand in the red corner, playing the role of Goliath in today's encounter, are Crusaders.

Their journey has been considerably shorter than their opponents, swapping the north of the city for the south hoping to reclaim the cup that has evaded them for the past 10 years.

How will the Crues cope with the overwhelming favourites tag? Can the Mallards rise to the biggest of occasions?

What a day.

We are live across TV, radio and online. You can take your pick of how you want to cover today's game at the top of this very page.

Sit back and enjoy one of the highlights of the local sporting calendar.