A 51st minute rocket goal from Darren Munster sent Ards crashing out of the JJB Sports Irish Cup to lower league opposition on a wet and muddy Clandeboye pitch.

The fact that this was the only one of the night's four scheduled cup replays to proceed told a story, although conditions were naturally even for both sides. The truth of this game was that a lacklustre Ards side lost out to a hungrier Brantwood who competed for the full 90 minutes.

Changes in the Ards line-up from the first game saw Kris Pike re-installed at left-back and Craig McMillen moving into the centre of midfield. Justin McBride was recalled to start up front beside Ryan Hyland, while Danny Mulholland moved onto the left wing.

Ards, in their change white and navy strip, had the first chance and it fell to assistant player-manager Justin McBride. A short pass, chipped into the area found him at the back post and he hooked a decent ball back across the six yard box that just flew over the crossbar. Four minutes after that and a move involving Hyland and captain Aaron McKee set Craig McMillen up with a drive from 25 yards that the keeper tipped over the top.

On 13 minutes an Ards move down the left saw Pike feed the ball to McMillen and his cross again found McBride, whose header narrowly missed the goal, with most expecting the ball to go in. Brantwood's danger man Darren Munster then struck a 16th minute shot at the other that almost caught out Andy McDonald with an awkward bounce right in front of the goalkeeper.

The same player caused trouble again three minutes after when his well struck shot from the left side of the area was left by a confident McDonald, who then saw the ball cannon back of the post. Munster was involved in another chance for the visitors soon after when he took advantage of some slack defending to get a shot in on the Ards goal.

On the half hour a Brantwood defender almost put through his own net when trying to deal with a Gareth Walsh cross and towards the end of the half, the referee became the busiest man on the field, booking three Brantwood players for fouls on McMillen and then entering the Ards player's name in his book also.

An effort from Brantwood's Irwin called McDonald into a full length save on 40 minutes, then just on the whistle a casual pass back from Kris Pike combined with the conditions to force McDonald into a race out for the ball that he just won ahead of Ryan Harvey. Into the second half and a poorly timed tackle from Pike on 50 minutes saw the yellow card produced for him and presented Brantwood with a free kick some 25 yards out of goal. The tireless Munster was the taker and he slammed an excellent shot high into McDonald's right corner to give his side the lead.

Ards' best chance of the match then followed on 55 minutes. A pass from McBride found Hyland and his chested down lay-off fed the ball to Aaron McKee whose shot would have found the net but for a well-placed Clarke Mason on the goal-line. As Brantwood grew in confidence and the game began to slip away from Ards, recently-injured striker Darren Stirling was sent on for McBride to bolster up the attack. His first involvement saw him strike a 65th minute effort safely into the goalkeeper's arms.

After that Ards offered the game nothing and the buoyant Brantwood side did an excellent job of protecting their lead. Chances were rare for each side as the pitch deteriorated and time drew on. Brantwood's Craig Hirthe was dismissed on 86 minutes following a second caution for a foul on Mulholland. A couple of free kicks in the final ten minutes gave Ards a glimmer of hope but neither McKee nor Ryan Newberry could find the target.

Even generous over-time afforded Ards nothing and they exited the cup to lower league opposition for the first time since the 1998 defeat to Institute.

Team	Substitutes
1 Andy McDonald (GK)	8 Ryan Newberry (for McMillen 81)
2 Darren Nixon	9 Darren Stirling (for McBride 63)
3 Kris Pike 50	12 Johnny Roy (for Cully 69)
4 Gary Spence	21 Gary Sharratt
6 Gareth Walsh	23 Mark Parker
7 Craig McMillen 40
10 Aaron McKee	Referee Hugh Carville
14 Danny Mulholland
17 Ryan Hyland
18 David Cully
20 Justin McBride

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