An east Belfast derby will be the livestreamed game in round five of this season’s Clearer Water Irish Cup.
BBC Sport NI has announced it will stream the tie between Harland and Wolff Welders and near neighbours Glentoran on Friday 3 January (7.45pm kick-off).
The Welders’ Blanchflower Stadium home is the venue for the match, which will kick off a weekend of Clearer Water Irish Cup action. It is to be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and on the BBC Sport NI website.
Glentoran, currently fifth in the NIFL Premiership, reached last year’s semi-finals, while the Welders will be trying to progress in the competition this time around having been knocked out at the same stage last season by Larne.
The game between the Championship side and the Glens is not the only derby in R5 of the competition as Annagh United (Championship) are set to take on near neighbours Portadown (Premiership) the following day. It will be one of 15 R5 ties staged on Saturday 4 January.
Two of the Saturday matches will kick off at 1.30pm, with the remainder 3pm starts.
Knockbreda, who progressed to round five after defeating fellow NIFL Premier Intermediate League side Banbridge Town in a rescheduled R4 tie at the weekend, will host Premiership team Crusaders at 1.30pm on 4 January.
The other early start that day will see Ballymena League Intermediate Division One side Belfast Celtic take on Moyola Park from the PIL.
One other outstanding R4 tie was played at the weekend. PIL team Ballymacash Rangers eased past Amateur League Premier Division outfit Islandmagee and will now face Championship side Ballinamallard United at home in the next round.
The fifth round is the stage where NIFL Premiership and Championship sides are joined by teams from the intermediate ranks who have already battled their way through four rounds of the competition.
Remarkably there is not one all-Premiership tie in R5 of this season’s competition.
The revised Clearer Water Irish Cup fifth round draw is as follows:
Friday 3 January (7.45pm)
Harland and Wolff Welders v Glentoran
Saturday 4 January (1.30pm)
Knockbreda v Crusaders
Belfast Celtic v Moyola Park
Saturday 4 January (3pm)
Annagh United v Portadown
Bangor v Newington
Carrick Rangers v Newry City
Linfield v Wellington Rec
Dollingstown v Ballyclare Comrades
Coleraine v Armagh City
Limavady United v Larne
Dungannon Swifts v Rathfriland Rangers
Institute v Loughgall
Ballymacash Rangers v Ballinamallard United
Ballymena United v Ards
Cliftonville v Banbridge Rangers
Glenavon v Dundela
Image: Representatives from Harland and Wolff Welders and Glentoran met at a photocall after the Clearer Water Irish Cup fifth round draw. The players will meet again on the pitch in January.
