Top-flight ties, early starts & potential upsets in big Irish Cup weekend

The draw for this weekend's fifth round of the Irish Cup threw up some intriguing ties and with the worst of the wintry weather hopefully behind us, it should be all systems go for what is one of the highlights of the Northern Ireland domestic football calendar.

With 32 teams contesting this stage of the competition, there are dreams aplenty of reaching the showpiece occasion of the season at Windsor Park at the start of May, and of course securing that coveted place in Europe which accompanies success in the final.

Meetings of some of the Irish League's heavyweights, potential upsets, teams from the lower divisions with lofty ambitions...this year's Irish Cup fifth round weekend has it all.

BBC Sport NI looks at some of the main talking points as kick-off in the 16 ties looms large.

Championship side Ards have established themselves as something of giant killing experts on Irish Cup fifth-round day in recent seasons and will aim to complete a treble of upsets when they travel to Stangmore Park to face holders Dungannon Swifts on Saturday.

Two years ago the north Down club saw off Premiership opponents Crusaders 7-6 on penalties at Seaview in round five, and 12 months ago they were in the headlines again as they defeated another top division team, Ballymena United, 2-1 at the Showgrounds.

That victory over the Sky Blues proved to be a springboard for Ards to reach the semi-final stages last term, a 3-0 loss to Cliftonville finally extinguishing their hopes of reaching the decider.

For Dungannon's part, they will aim to make it back-to-back successes after securing the trophy for the first time in their history last season.

With Coleraine and Linfield having seen their Irish Premiership title hopes fade because of disappointing results in recent weeks, it seems likely that the cup competitions offer up the best opportunity of silverware for the clubs this season.

The two teams will contest BetMcLean Cup semi-finals later this month - Coleraine facing Glentoran and Linfield playing Ballymena United - while both have been handed testing ties for their first outings in the Irish Cup.

Coleraine host Crusaders in the opening fixture of the weekend in a match which will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and on the BBC Sport website on Friday night.

The Bannsiders will target a first Irish Cup victory since 2018 and aim to secure some tangible reward for the substantial financial investment in the club.

Crusaders were consecutive Irish Cup winners in 2022 and 2023 and while retaining their top flight status will be their priority, they will hope that a good run in the cup could continue to build the momentum established by their recent sequence of two wins and a draw from their past three league matches.

Linfield, meanwhile, host another of last year's semi-finalists, Bangor, in a repeat of last week's league match between the sides, which saw the Premiership champions run out comfortable 6-1 winners.

The Seasiders accounted for Glentoran in the last eight last season. Could they claim another 'Big Two' scalp in one of three all-Premiership encounters?

For all the success that has accompanied the revival in their fortunes and transformation from second-tier strugglers to back-to-back Irish League champions, four-in-a-row County Antrim Shield winners and Uefa Conference League league phase participants, Larne have still to taste success in the Irish Cup.

Following on from Dungannon's historic maiden triumph last season, could the Invermen make it successive first-time winners of the competition?

Gary Haveron's side face a formidable first hurdle on Saturday if they are to keep that possibility alive as they take on Ballymena United at the Showgrounds.

The Sky Blues have already accounted for the east Antrim side in the League Cup quarter-finals at the same venue and will aim to deliver a second knockout blow against their neighbours from across Shane's Hill with Oran Kearney now at the helm.

The Braidmen's early demise at the hands of Ards last season offers added incentive to advance from what can plausibly lay claim to the title of 'tie of the round'.

Likewise, Larne can use their hurt from losing to Limavady at the last-32 stage in January 2025 as motivation to progress further this time round.

Remarkably, near neighbours Portadown and Annagh United were paired together in the fifth round for the second year in a row.

Last season, with home advantage, it was the Championship side who emerged 3-2 victors, but this time Annagh must attempt to repeat the dose against their Premiership opposition at Shamrock Park.

Given Annagh's position at the top of their league table, a win for them on Saturday may not be considered a major upset by some, but a victory away from home would surely even exceed their achievement of 12 months ago.

Peter Thompson guided Queen's University to one of the biggest upsets of recent years in the Irish Cup when he managed the students to a 2-1 victory over Linfield in the fifth round six years ago.

This time the Carrick Rangers assistant manager will be helping to plot the downfall of his former club at Taylors Avenue.

Newington will fancy their chances of an upset when they travel to Mourneview Park to face Premiership basement side Glenavon while Cliftonville, finalists in both of the last two years, take on Dundela at Solitude.

Much of the charm of the early rounds of cup football lies in earlier kick-off times at more compact grounds without floodlights and this year's fifth round is no exception.

Premier Intermediate side Strabane Athletic will harbour ambitions of proving to be a 'banana skin' for full-time visitors Glentoran in one of four scheduled 13:30 GMT matches.

Strabane have already given Cliftonville a scare in the last 16 of the BetMcLean Cup this season as they led the Reds 2-0 before succumbing to a 5-2 reverse.

Ballymacash Rangers will be buoyed by their recent Steel and Sons Cup final triumph on Christmas Day as they prepare to take on Comber Rec.

Ballymacash boss Gary Hamilton is a two-time Irish Cup winner as a manager with Glenavon in 2014 and 2016.

Knockbreda play Loughgall and Lisburn Distillery entertain Warrenpoint Town in the other early games.