There is an Irish Cup final place at stake as Larne take on Ballymena United at Seaview on Friday evening. Kick-off in North Belfast is 7.45pm and you can find out all you need to know in our Landmark Match Guide below, ahead of the big clash.
TICKETS AND TRAVEL
There are a limited number of tickets which remain for sale via Ticketmaster and you can purchase them HERE. Entry is priced at £12 for adults and £8 for concessions, with only South Stand tickets remaining for Larne.
The match is also being streamed live on the BBC Sport NI website, red button and iPlayer.
Please check the Facebook page of each Supporters’ Club for the most up-to-date travel information with multiple buses running to this fixture.
1889 SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB
The 1889 will be open from 5pm for all supporters who want to call in before travelling to the match. For those unable to make it, the big match will be shown on the screens.
DJ Hendi will be live after the match for those in attendance at the 1889 and for supporters arriving back from the match.
OUR OPPONENTS
Friday’s game is a repeat of the 2005 Irish Cup semi-final, when a Mark Dickson penalty midway through the second half separated the sides at the Oval and sent Larne into the decider, which was eventually won by Portadown.
The two sides also met in the Cup last season, with United gaining revenge via a penalty shoot-out victory in the quarter-final tie. United went on to book their place in last year’s decider and came within a whisker of winning it, but for two interventions from former Larne players. Josh Robinson equalised in stoppage time and Johnny McMurray winning it at the end of extra-time.
Under David Jeffrey, Ballymena have enjoyed a strong Irish Cup pedigree, making the final in two of the previous four seasons.
THE INVER REDS
This game represents a break from the title race for the Invermen, with Tiernan Lynch’s men going into the ‘split fixtures’ five points clear of Linfield.
All eyes this weekend, however, is on the Cup and Larne have defeated Crumlin United (3-0), Linfield (penalties) and H&W Welders (1-0) to reach the last four of the competition, for the third time under Lynch’s tenure. The Invermen last made the final in 2021, losing 2-1 in the final to Linfield at Mourneview Park.
The winners of Friday’s clash will take on either Crusaders or Dungannon Swifts, who face each other in the second semi-final on Saturday lunchtime at Mourneview Park.
