Ards booked a place in the fifth round of the JJB Sports Irish Cup as a ten minute period of pressure in the first half saw the side find three goals that visitors Annagh had no response for.

The win ensured bragging rights for Niall Currie over one of his former clubs, while Annagh United manager David Johnstone was left to rue the chances missed by his side against his former paymasters.

Few openings were better than that which fell to United's top scorer Dean Smith on 10 minutes. Just goalkeeper Jack Duffin stood in the way of Smith as he raced in from the left side of the area but it was the Ards goalkeeper who won this particular battle, tipping Smith's well struck effort over the crossbar.

With a number of changes in the Ards line-up, Currie's men took a little time to find their feet after Annagh had enjoyed the better start to the game. All that changed on 28 minutes when a good passing move breached the visitor's defence. Striker Ross Arthurs was the centre-piece to the move, receiving and then distributing to ball back to Mark Picking, who skipped inside a defender and passed a low shot to the left of debutante keeper Jonny Bergen's goal.

Mark Picking opened the scoring with his first of the season Picture: Gareth McCluskey

With that goal, Ards found their spark of life and just a few minutes later Sammy Devine was denied by the young goalkeeper as he connected with a Rab Young cross to power in a header that Burgen tipped over the bar. That save only delayed the game's second goal as a minute later stand-in striker Aaron McKee rattled in a 20 yard shot that Burgen could only parry and the loose ball was gladly put away by Gary Spence at the back post.

Ards' continued pressure paid further dividends on 38 minutes with the arrival of the third goal. Although Picking's free kick in from the left flew straight through the area to Burgen, his parry out went only as far as defender Alan Murphy, who had little chance to react before the ball bounced off him and into his own goal.

As they looked for a way back into the match, Annagh began the second half brightly, with substitute Chris Coleman lashing a shot wide of the Ards goal ten minutes after the restart. United pressed again on 67 minutes when Murphy headed on a free kick for Jamie Gardiner but the striker couldn't force Duffin into anything but the most comfortable of saves.

Annagh won another free kick on 75 minutes that was headed on for Ritchie Allen, but the defender's point blank effort was splendidly turned away by Duffin on the right side of the Ards area. Already three goals to the good, Ards weren't exactly racing out of the blocks and a threat to the Annagh goal was rare. The 76th minute did produce an opening however with substitute James Cully crossing from the left hand corner to the far side of the area where Arthurs turned the ball against the post from a yard or so out.

As the time to salvage something ticked away from Annagh, they produced a fine effort to ensure that Ards would have to keep alert to protect their margin. It was the 81st minute when a cross shot from Gardiner almost caught the Ards defence out but Duffin was on the case to pluck the ball out from under the crossbar and ensure his first clean sheet.

Sponsor's Man of the Match Sammy Devine

10th December 2011

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Substitutes
12 David Cully
14 James Cully
(for McKee 73 mins)
16 Ciaran Boyd
(for Corey 86 mins)
17 Jimmy McIlhagga
(for Berry 8)
21 Adam Arthurs

Referee
Andrew Davey

In the Amigo Box
36 goals - £18.00