Tonight’s tie between Limavady United and Linfield will serve as a tasty appetiser for the sixth round of this season’s Clearer Water Irish Cup.
Coleraine Showgrounds is the venue for the match, which will kick off a weekend of cup action.
It’s a game in which a team from the second tier will be facing a top tier team with significant Irish Cup pedigree.
However, NIFL Championship leaders Limavady will be no pushovers when they take on reigning NIFL Premiership champions Linfield, who have won the Irish Cup a record 44 times.
Limavady have only lost three league games all season. They have won 17 and drawn six on their way to topping the Championship table.
BBC Sport NI will be streaming the intriguing tie tonight (7.45 kick-off). It is set to be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport NI website and on the BBC Sport app.
Limavady United manager Paul Owens told BBC Sport NI: "We can go into the game with no pressure and just enjoy the occasion.
“I've watched Linfield in a couple of games and I've told the players that it's a welcome distraction. We can forget about the league for a week, park it."
Linfield boss David Healy said: "Paul has an experienced team and they are going well in the league.
"They'll make it difficult for us but we've had them watched and will prepare as best we can and hopefully try and progress to the next round of the Irish Cup."
Last month seven of the 16 ties in round five of the Clearer Water Irish Cup were called off due to frozen pitches – and were subsequently rescheduled.
The last of those R5 games were played earlier this week when Larne edged past Ballymena United and Loughgall got the better of Knockbreda.
NIFL Premiership leaders Larne now face Championship opposition in the next round this weekend. They will be taking on Warrenpoint Town away tomorrow afternoon.
The big David v Goliath clash is set to be at The Oval where Glentoran, currently lying third in the Premiership, will host Drumaness Mills, the lowest ranked team remaining in the competition.
Drumaness, who play in the Premier Division of the Northern Amateur Football League, reached the last 16 by defeating Championship side Armagh City.
There are three all-Premiership clashes tomorrow afternoon. Cup holders Dungannon Swifts are away to Portadown, Carrick Rangers will host Coleraine and Cliftonville, last year’s beaten finalists, are due to welcome Glenavon to Solitude.
Meanwhile, Loughgall will be hosting Institute in an all-Championship encounter, while Championship side Harland and Wolff Welders are set to battle it out against Ballymacash Rangers from the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.
The Clearer Water Irish Cup sixth round fixtures are as follows:
Friday 6 February
Limavady United v Linfield (7.45pm)
Saturday 7 February
(All 3pm kick-offs)
Carrick Rangers v Coleraine
Cliftonville v Glenavon
Loughgall v Institute
Warrenpoint Town v Larne
H&W Welders v Ballymacash Rangers
Portadown v Dungannon Swifts
Glentoran v Drumaness Mills
Image: Limavady United’s Ruairi Boorman was in the thick of it when Limavady faced Crusaders in the Clearer Water Irish Cup sixth round a year ago. The Roesiders narrowly lost that game, however tonight they will be aiming to go one better when they face Linfield in R6 of this season’s competition.
