Tonight sees the final Mid-Ulster derby of the season with Glenavon needing three points to keep their European play-off hopes on track.

Having had two big defeats against Dungannon Swifts in the Irish Cup and eighth-placed Ballymena United in the league, Gary Hamilton is hoping that his side can get back on track tonight.

“Portadown have already beaten us twice this year. We need to be on our guard, and we need to be up for it,” he said.

“We need to get out and get our pressing game going again. We need to be busy and get in their faces.

“That’s the way derby games are – you need to win the battles. They are very rarely about playing attractive football because it rarely happens in those types of games.

“But we also have to take our chances and defend with everything that we have. That’s how you get results in most games, but especially in derbies.”

Michael O’Connor is out of tonight’s game after he came off during Saturday’s game injured, but Matthew Snoddy returns from suspension while Andy Hall is back from injury.

Our live stream of the Mid-Ulster derby on Tuesday starts at the earlier time of 7.10pm on 247.tv/niprem. Former Portadown manager Ronnie McFall will be providing his analysis of the game, while we will have interviews with Conan Byrne and club chairman Adrian Teer. We’ll have goals from all the recent games and it’s all for just a fiver (free for season ticket holders).

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Lee Tavinder

ASSISTANT REFEREES: George Argyropoulos, Ryan Kelsey

FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ben McMaster

SPONSORS

MATCH SPONSOR: Ali Douglas, Abie Douglas, Damien Hardwick, Ian Irwin, Stevie Brown, Jeff Magee

BALL SPONSOR: Taberah Fire Protection Ltd

MAN OF THE MATCH SPONSOR: Charlie Cardwell

LAST TIME OUT: Glenavon got revenge for the previous Saturday’s humbling defeat to Portadown by bouncing back to defeat their Mid-Ulster rivals 2-1 at Shamrock Park on Tuesday night.

In a match that was played in wet and windy conditions, substitute Andy Hall gave the Lurgan Blues the lead on 34 minutes when he fired home following a Peter Campbell corner. 

Gareth McCaffrey scored his first goal for Glenavon in the opening minute of the second half to double the advantage with a superbly taken strike. Ports’ substitutes Adam Salley and Chris Lavery combined for the latter to pull a goal back for the hosts on 66 minutes, but Glenavon held on quite comfortably to secure the three point.