WKD Intermediate Cup S/F: Dundela 1-2 Ards (after extra time)
19th March 2008

Ards will meet Loughgall in the final of the WKD Intermediate Cup after a Justin McBride goal in the final minute of extra-time finished off Dundela at Dixon Park tonight.

A penalty from each side had the scores level heading to extra-time and the game seemed all set to be decided by penalties until enter substitute McBride to head in his fifth goal of the season and book Ards a place in the final. Ards made just one personnel change to their side; Chris Deegan wasn't eligible to play, so Gary Clifford took Nixon's place at right-back, as he moved to centre-half and Aaron McKee was recalled to the midfield.

The first half had it's chances, but still managed to lack a certain spark that would lift the supporters on a cold March evening. The first opening of the game went to Ards, when on six minutes Kris Pike played a cross-field ball to McKee and from 25 yards he drilled a shot over the crossbar. A Dundela free kick five minutes later saw Matt Burrows flash wide of goal with a well-struck volley that could have troubled Andy McDonald had it been on target.

On 23 minutes a neat ball in from the right by Johnny Roy skipped through the Dundela area to find McMillen sliding in at the back post, but his contact knocked the ball wide. On the half hour Ards produced the chance of the game. From midfield McMillen played a simple defence-splitting ball forward for Stirling who bore down on goal but at the last minute he chose the wrong choice of shot and awkwardly hit wide with the goal at his mercy.

The same two combined six minutes later when a spell of good Ards pressure saw them force a corner. McMillen delivered the ball from the left and Stirling's header didn't end up too far over the crossbar. With a couple of minutes of the half remaining Ards got in on goal again. As a Stirling chance was broken down by the Duns' defence the ball ran kindly for Ricky Billing but his shot was straight at keeper Taylor, who wasn't likely to be troubled by that.

As the second half began, Dundela managed to get in front when they were awarded a 52nd minute penalty. Few seemed to spot what the referee thought was a tug by Gary Spence as Burrows fired well over the bar and David Murphy stepped up to slot away the penalty. The game was held up for several minutes after that as Ards physio John Weatherup was sent from the dugout and on 58 minutes Ards had a dubious penalty of their own. There seemed little menace involved as a fierce shot from Billing was blocked in the box but referee Hall called hand-ball and Darren Stirling sent his second penalty of the week straight down the middle to level the game.

Justin McBride

Ards now took the ascendancy with Dundela looking nothing like posing the danger that they had done on Saturday. On 61 minutes another McMillen cross from the left side looked laid on for Ricky Billing but the ball passed him by only to run on for Pike at the back post. He perhaps took too much time over his shot and a good defensive tackle saw the ball away for a corner. It was McMillen again on 70 minutes receiving the ball from Spence in the opposite corner. His first time ball met the head of Stirling and he spun a shot off the top of the crossbar.

Gary Clifford was yellow carded on 76 minutes as he was beaten for legs down the Duns' left and on 82 minutes Dundela caused a scare in the Ards box. Burrows did well to get to the bye-line and his cut back ball found Willie McIlroy around the 18, whose shot was booted away from the goal by Nixon. A better chance followed for Dundela with three minutes remaining as a long ball forward from the left-back position found Burrows in acres of space bearing down on Ards' goal. The league's top marksman beat keeper McDonald to the loose ball but slid in to fire his shot wide of the target.

That ensured the game went to 20 minutes extra time and chances were limited during this period as legs began to tire. McDonald was called upon to hold a 25 yard volley from Parker after four minutes and the teams changed ends without any further chances on goal. Just as the match seemed to heading for the shootout Ards won a free kick on the left. Roy was the provider, swinging the ball over for Justin McBride who ghosted in at the back post to head in a last minute winner. Cue scenes of wild celebration on the Ards terraces the team held out for the final seconds to ensure an end of season cup final.

Team	Substitutes
1 Andy McDonald (capt.) (GK)	6 Gareth Walsh
2 Darren Nixon	16 Stephen Johnston
3 Kris Pike	18 David Cully
4 Gary Spence	20 Justin McBride (for Billing 84)
5 James Wilson 36	23 Mark Parker
7 Craig McMillen
9 Darren Stirling	Referee Iain Hall
10 Aaron McKee
11 Ricky Billing	Scorer Darren Stirling 58 pen, Justin
12 Johnny Roy	McBride 110
15 Gary Clifford 76

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