Irvinestown whistler Timmy Marshall has been appointed as referee for this Friday night’s Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup Final between Glentoran and Ballymena United at the National Stadium at Windsor Park.

The 31 year old has been officiating at senior level since 2011 having at first taken up refereeing at local level in the Fermanagh & Western area ten years previous guided by his father, Basil, Chairman of the Fermanagh & Western Referees Association.

In 2017 he was in charge of the prestigious BetMcLean League Cup Final at Windsor Park when Dungannon Swifts beat Ballymena United 3-1.

Over the years he has regularly travelled across Europe to referee international and important league and cup matches.

Friday night’s showpiece will be shown live on BBC NI from 7.30pm and will be the the first match in the UK with fans in attendance since lockdown was imposed in March to combat Coronavirus.