Shamrock meeting on Saturday

It's second against third on Saturday as Portadown welcome Ards to Shamrock Park for the first time in two and half years.

Ards' relegation at the end of the 2005/06 season put an end to regular meetings between the sides, with no-one in the current Ards panel having played in that 2-1 defeat in February 2006.

Darren Nixon

Two Ards players will be missing from Saturday's match also. Both Darren Fitzgerald and Jim McIlhagga began two game suspensions on Monday ruling them out of this and the next game against Malachians.

Striker Darren Stirling missed out on last week's win over Dromara in the Intermediate Cup because of an injury, so with another week's rest he may well come back into consideration. Central defender Darren Nixon was an unnamed substitute six days ago, having just returned from injury himself, and he could also be in line for a recall.

Portadown currently lead Ards in the table by four points, although have played two games more. Both sides have won seven out of their last ten league games and both have been beaten by present Championship leaders Ballinamallard, whom Portadown could overtake with the right results this weekend.

A midweek win over Linfield in Co-Operative Insurance Cup will have been a huge boost to Ronnie McFall's side, on the back of a narrow 2-1 win over HW Welders in the Intermediate Cup last Saturday.

The Premier Ards Supporters' Club will have a bus running to the game, which starts at 3pm, and this will leave the Sports Club at 1.30pm.

This weekend's fixtures

Friday
Ballinamallard United v Ballyclare Comrades (7.45)

Saturday
Ballymoney United v Carrick Rangers (2.30)
Dergview v Armagh City (2.00)
Donegal Celtic v Glebe Rangers
Killymoon Rangers v Limavady United (2.30)
Larne v Loughgall
Portadown v Ards
Tobermore United v Coagh United (2.00)

5th December 2008

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