Annagh boss Ciaran McGurgan is hoping for home help towards causing neighbours Portadown some Irish Cup hurt.

Both McGurgan and his Ports counterpart Niall Currie live within walking distance of the Tandragee Road venue for this weekend’s eagerly-anticipated fifth-round derby date.

Second-tier Annagh can often find home gates bolstered by random pockets of Ports fans if the three-time Irish Cup winners have a blank date and a number of players in the home dressing room have links to the Premiership visitors – all adding to the sense of familiarity for a derby date devoid of the traditional animosity associated with such fixtures.

However, friendships will get set aside at the first whistle and McGurgan is aiming to make the most of home advantage to gain an edge on the Ports.

placeholder image — Annagh United and Portadown representatives - including Ciaran McGurgan (back row, left) - at the Irish Cup fifth-round draw. (Photo by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)

"Let's be honest, we're probably never going to win the Irish Cup but before the draw you wanted home to Portadown or home to Linfield,” said McGurgan. "And that's really to give the club a boost in terms of the gate...but we're buzzing for it as a club and heading in expecting a really good atmosphere.

"We will grab any positivity and use it to our advantage the best we can.

"The biggest advantage is we are at home and our tight, narrow pitch suits us.

"With a big crowd the fans are more or less on top of the pitch, so that creates a really good atmosphere.

"We've been very hard to beat at home overall.

"Portadown's a different animal in terms of opposition faced but we have to try and make a real game of it.

"Portadown are on the back of two defeats but two tough games against Glenavon and Glentoran in what's been a really good season.

"So they'll be coming down strong looking to progress in the Irish Cup.

"It's been strange after so many years of not playing each other at all to have, in recent seasons, the promotion/relegation play-offs then meeting in the Championship last season and now this Irish Cup tie."

Annagh can boast the strongest defensive record across the Championship, with the recent 4-3 win over league leaders Bangor from a 3-1 deficit an extra reason for cheer.

"The Bangor result has given us a confidence boost around the club,” said McGurgan. "To come back in that way showed the squad’s character and what is there in the locker-room.

"In the game with Bangor we were without our captain and vice-captain, Niall Henderson and Paul Finnegan.

"Under those circumstances you need leaders...then whenever we looked around you see what we have in the squad.

"For example, someone like Craig Taylor is still young at 25 years old but has around a decade probably in the Irish League.

"Lee Upton is only 23 but playing men's football from a young age, so there shouldn't be any nerves in the squad.

"It's going to be a good derby occasion and we just want to put in a performance...Portadown have done really well in the Premiership but we've nothing to lose and will give our all."