by Stuart Gillespie

Saturday is Ballymena United's final friendly before they start their IFA Premiership season. Last year, they narrowly avoided relegation, finishing third bottom of the league following the split towards the end of the campaign. They'll have to tackle the new season without one of their top strikers in recent years as Kevin Kelbie has joined Morton. One of their former top scorers has Saints connection, striker Mark McWalter topping the scoring charts during the 1990's.

Crusaders finished fourth in last year's IFA Premiership and also picked up the County Antrim shield for the first time in nearly two decades. They saw major changes on the pitch - literally - as their grass surface was dug up to be replaced by the latest artificial turf, meaning their games could continue over the festive period. Last season also saw them compete in Europe, after winning the Irish Cup, and they put up a good display against Macedonian side FK Rabotnicki.

Derry City, who play in the League of Ireland, have had some financial difficulties in the last few years but recently reformed and are currently well clear at the top of the first division. They are managed by Steve Kenny, who is back for a second spell in charge at Brandywell having left in 2006 to manage Dunfermline. It was a mixed time for Kenny as he took the Pars to the Scottish Cup final but lost out to Saints in the battle to stay in the SPL.

Saints last visited the Emerald Isle back in 2007, taking on Dungannon Swifts and Newry City. The Newry game ended goalless, but Saints managed four against the Swifts thanks to Billy Mehmet, Will Haining and a Craig Dargo double. The striker hasn't managed to open his account this pre-season, so repeating his form from three years ago in the next few days would be ideal.

The packed schedule will see every fit member of Danny Lennon's squad get a run out over the next few days and could even see Lee Mair make his return from injury. One of the games is likely to be the first chance new signing Paul McGowan gets to play with his new team mates, although he should be relatively fit as he has gone through pre-season training with parent club Celtic.

The tour will also be the first chance Sean Lynch has had to play since becoming a Saints player. Such has been the turnaround in players over the last few years that Dargo, John Potter, Garry Brady, Hugh Murray and David Barron are the only survivors from the last trip to Ireland - although David van Zanten and Marc McAusland were with the Club at the time but have since been away.

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