Irish Premiership: Crusaders forward David Cushley named March player of the month

David Cushley has been named as the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Player of the Month for March.

The Crusaders player scored twice in his side's 4-3 County Antrim Shield final win over Linfield and helped his club reach the Irish Cup final, scoring in their semi-final win over Coleraine.

In the Premiership, Cushley helped the Crues finish the month unbeaten.

Crusaders are away to Glenavon in their first post-split fixture on Saturday, with Cliftonville at home to Coleraine.

The fifth-placed Reds and sixth-placed Bannsiders could meet again in the Europa League play-off semi-finals at the end of the season depending on the outcomes of the remaining top-flight fixtures.

Cliftonville will try to build on their run of five wins in seven league games since the appointment of Paddy McLaughlin as manager.

The Crues are aiming to hunt down second-placed Ballymena United before their big cup final date with Championship outfit Ballinamallard United on 4 May.

Gary Hamilton's Glenavon could close to within a point of Stephen Baxter's men, however, with a victory at Mourneview Park.

In the bottom half of the Premiership, much of the focus will be on Glentoran on Saturday as their new manager Mick McDermott takes charge for the first time in their game against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.

The former Iran assistant boss has moved quickly to add Paul Millar to his coaching team as he targets a place in the play-offs.

"Coming in at this stage of the season is never easy and we have five games in 22 days to come but I have met with the players, the staff and the Board members this week and my first impressions are very good," McDermott told the Glentoran FC website.

"We have a good group of players who are enthusiastic in training and our short-term goal is to perform well in those five games, and then potentially we would have two more," he added.

Ninth-placed Dungannon themselves harbour ambitions of securing the seventh place that would see them contest the play-off semi-finals as they trail the Glens and Institute by two points.

Stute entertain Warrenpoint Town, who will be keen to bounce back from losing their Irish Cup semi-final to Ballinamallard on penalties last weekend.