Irish Cup: Why winning blue riband competition would be significant for the four semi-finalists

Top four in the Irish Premiership. The last four standing in the Irish Cup.

Upsets may be part and parcel of knockout competitions but this year's Irish Cup semi-finals line-up has gone very much with the formbook as Larne, Linfield, Cliftonville and Glentoran contest the last-four ties.

First up is the meeting of the Glens and the Blues at the Oval on Friday night (19:45 GMT), followed by the match between Larne and Cliftonville at Windsor Park on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Both games will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website with video coverage beginning 15 minutes before kick-off.

Ahead of the two ties, BBC Sport NI assesses why an Irish Cup win would be so significant for each of the four teams involved.

Glentoran

An Irish Cup success for Glentoran would ensure that the east Belfast side secure a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifiers without having to take part in the end-of-season Premiership play-offs.

The competition provides an opportunity for caretaker manager Declan Devine to make his pitch to assume the role on a permanent basis and to ease some of the unrest among Glentoran fans, as expressed through statements from a number of supporters' clubs in recent weeks.

The Glens last won the Irish Cup in July 2020, beating Ballymena United 2-1 after extra-time in a game played in front of just 500 spectators because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Progress to the showpiece decider this season would allow thousands more of the team's fans to enjoy the occasion offered up by a final appearance.

Collecting the silverware on 4 May would represent the first trophy success for the Oval side since that day, the substantial investment of club owner Ali Pour having so far failed to bear fruit in the form of a sustained league title challenge.

The fact that the Glens won the toss to host their semi-final should serve as a further boost, as well as confidence gained from defeating their big Belfast rivals 4-0 in a previous league meeting at the Oval at the start of December.

Route to the semi-finals: Fifth round: beat Annagh Utd 1-0 Sixth round: beat Ballymacash Rangers 6-1 Quarter-finals: beat Ballyclare Comrades 2-0

Linfield

Linfield are the only club with a possible domestic treble of Premiership, Irish Cup and League Cup in their sights.

With the BetMcLean Cup already gracing the Windsor Park trophy cabinet courtesy of their win over Portadown, the Blues must bridge their two-point deficit to leaders Larne in the league and win two more matches to lift the Irish Cup in May to achieve that feat.

Linfield have the opportunity to further extend their record 44 victories in the competition and secure their first triumph in the Irish Cup since defeating Larne 2-1 in the 2021 decider, played unfamiliarly on a Friday night.

That success at Mourneview Park was achieved in front of 1000 fans as attendance was again restricted because of measures put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus.

As always in 'Big Two' encounters, derby bragging rights are also very much at stake and the fact that the Blues must play their last-four tie at the Oval could make a potential win for David Healy's side that much sweeter.

Route to the semi-finals: Fifth round: beat Warrenpoint Town 4-2 Sixth round: beat Ballymena United 2-0 Quarter-finals: beat Institute 3-1

Cliftonville

Cliftonville's failure to collect the Irish Cup since 1979 must be one of the most quoted facts in the Irish League, a statistic that the Reds have the opportunity to consign to history this year.

The nearest the Reds have come to ending that 45-year wait was in 2018, when the north Belfast outfit lost 3-1 to Coleraine in the final.

With the club having fallen off the pace somewhat in the Irish Premiership title race of late, success in the Irish Cup would provide tangible reward for a promising first campaign under boss Jim Magilton and a first trophy success for the former Northern Ireland midfielder as a manager.

The north Belfast outfit's most recent silverware success came in the 2022 League Cup final when they defeated Coleraine.

One area of concern for Reds fans going into the tie could be their side's form against other clubs in the top four during the 2023-24 league campaign - Magilton's side have drawn three and lost five of their eight top-flight meetings against Larne, Linfield and Glentoran to date.

Route to the semi-finals: Fifth round: beat Cliftonville 3-0 (aet) Sixth round: beat Cliftonville 4-0 Quarter-finals: beat Portadown 2-0

Larne

Larne's renaissance of recent seasons, with the help of financial input from businessman Kenny Bruce and the infrastructure provided by their full-time set-up, has yet to yield an Irish Cup triumph.

The primary goal of a first-ever Irish League championship was achieved last term, while the Inver Park club has lifted the County Antrim Shield for four consecutive years.

Victory in the Irish Cup would represent another notable landmark on their journey for the east Antrim Reds and go some way to atoning for their disappointing 2-0 defeat by Ballymena at the semi-final stage 12 months ago.

Tiernan Lynch's men remain in contention for a league and cup double which would build on their success last season, with the retention of the Gibson Cup in their own hands thanks to their two-point lead at the top of the table.

Their most recent final appearance ended in defeat by Linfield three years ago, that result leaving them with an unenviable record of six defeats from six deciders in Northern Ireland's premier knockout competition.

Their tie against Cliftonville is given added spice by the presence among the Larne ranks of former Belfast Reds personnel Tiernan and Seamus Lynch, plus a number of ex-players from the north Belfast club including recent recruit Chris Gallagher.

Route to the semi-finals: Fifth round: beat H&W Welders 4-1 Sixth round: beat Glenavon 5-0 Quarter-finals: beat Newington 4-1