Linfield and Portadown meet in the BetMcLean Cup final this Sunday (March 10th) at Windsor Park, kick-off 3pm.

The Blues will be looking to defend the trophy they lifted a year ago with victory over Coleraine, while Portadown will become only the third side from the Championship to play in the decider in the history of the competition and hoping to emulate the feat of the Ports of 2008/09 vintage in winning the trophy whilst playing in the second tier.

The sides last met towards the end of January last year when the Blues ran out comfortable 6-1 winners at Shamrock Park. Eetu Vertainen bagged a hat-trick for the holders alongside a couple for Joel Cooper before Chris McKee completed the scoring late on.

Paddy McNally grabbed what turned out to be a consolation for the Ports just before the break, and he is one of seven players - along with Luke Wilson, Mark Russell, Lee Chapman, Chris Rodgers, Eoghan McCawl and Paul McElroy - to remain with the Ports despite boss Niall Currie bringing in numerous new faces in the interim.

Vertainen might have since departed Windsor Park for pastures new at the end of last season, but Linfield boss David Healy can still call upon no fewer than ten players from that last meeting between the sides.

Not that the Blues will be going into the game with any sense of complacency, something that Healy will be stressing to his players.

"I know we are going to go into it as massive favourites, and probably rightly so, but that does not give us, me or the players the divine right to take our eye of it which we certainly won't do," he said.

"Portadown have an experienced manager in Niall, and they've got players who have graced our top league so we know if we do go into it with the attitude that we'll just turn up, go and perform and win and have a jolly up afterwards it certainly won't be the case."

And it's a challenge and occasion that his opposite number, Niall Currie, is relishing.

"I think it's important that everyone enjoys it. It's David and Goliath, not so much in regard to the size of clubs, but in regard to full-time football and the quality of Linfield's squad," he said.

"But we have to be excited. I'm excited about it, I know the town is excited about it, but I want our players to be excited about it as well. I want everybody to enjoy the day but all I really want is for us to be at our best, and if we're at our best we can give them a game but ultimately it'll all come down to not making mistakes with the quality that they have.

"I just think it's a day to enjoy, everyone has family going, I think the town will be emptied and fingers crossed we can give a real, real good account of ourselves."

The Ports have developed a reputation of being something of a tough nut to crack in a one-off cup situation and, indeed, have already lifted some silverware this season following a 5-2 victory Dungannon Swifts in the Mid-Ulster Cup final in January.

They swept past Loughgall on the way and, to get to Sunday's final, knocked the Villagers out again as well as accounting for further Premiership opposition in the form of Crusaders and Glenavon.

Linfield's route took them past a potential banana skin in Queen's University before a succession of away wins over Glentoran, Larne (after penalties) and Dungannon Swifts.

Both the Ports and Linfield go into the game on the back of contrasting fortunes in the Irish Cup quarter-finals last weekend.

Portadown put up a determined showing at home to Cliftonville before succumbing to two second half goals while Linfield travelled to the Brandywell to face Institute before coming away on the right side of the 3-1 scoreline thanks to finishes from Ethan McGee, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Kirk Millar.

Sunday's game will be officiated by referee Tony Clarke, alongside assistants Brian Wilson and Gavin Hegarty, while Ben McMaster assumes fourth official duties. Shane Geary will also be designated as the reserve assistant referee for the game.

The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning at 2:45pm.

Linfield and Portadown meet in this season's BetMcLean Cup final on March 10th at the National Football Stadium (kick-off 3pm). Have you got your tickets yet? Buy now at nifootballleague.com/tickets