It was Linfield Swifts who advanced through to the quarter-finals of the Steel & Sons Cup, winning a dramatic penalty shoot-out, forced by Nathan McConnell's 93rd minute goal for Ards.

With the ninety minutes elapsed it looked as though Ross Clarke's second half strike would be the goal that carried Linfield through, only for McConnell to force the match into extra-time with his late equaliser. This game, staged at Abbey Villa's Adams Park, was the second meeting in successive season between the two sides. Ards began with ten of the eleven that finished Tuesday night's defeat to Cliftonville. The exception was Kris Pike, fit again to return to the side at left-back, where he took the place of Ciaran Boyd.

Both sides kept things very tight in the first forty-five minutes, with no clear cut openings for either side. Ards were first to create a chance with Mark Picking breaking down the left hand side in the tenth minute. Picking showed a good burst of pace to take himself close to the bye-line and though he looked for Nathan McConnell with his cross, Swifts' keeper Stuart Addis was first to the ball.

Ryan Berry surges forward Picture: Gareth McCluskey

On 25 minutes Ards keeper Graeme McKibbin was tested when striker Brian McCaul turned in a shot from the left side of the area that McKibbin went quickly to ground to block. Referee Alan Hayes soon became the game's focal point as his action or inaction on a number of incidents sparked life into the game. A 27th minute challenge on Mark Picking that went unpunished led to a caution for dissent for Ryan Berry while a raised arm that floored Ards right-back David Cully two minutes later, had the home camp screaming for a red card. The challenge, from Linfield's Steven Gordon, ended Cully's afternoon, but the midfielder saw only yellow for the foul.

In between two further bookings, one for each side, Ards created and missed probably the best chance of the half. There were 43 minutes gone when Ards forced a corner, to be taken by Picking. The winger's cross in wasn't cleared first time and the ball squeezed its way through to centre-back Gary Spence, who unfortunately mis-cued his shot, when squarely placed in front of goal.

A more livelier second half opened with a chance for the Swifts just after the hour mark. A pass through from the Linfield midfield had found Gary Browne, who set about shaking off the attentions of defender Darren Nixon. The striker did well to open up space for himself and dispatch a low shot, that didn't miss the left-hand upright by much. By this stage Ards had still made no clear chances, with Ross Arthurs reduced to shooting from distance on 63 minutes.

Gary Spence with the ball at his feet Picture: Gareth McCluskey	Nathan McConnell holds off Kris Lindsay Picture: Gareth McCluskey

On 67 minutes Ards defender Ciaran Boyd, on for the injured Pike, conceded a free kick on the right which Mattie King put over for Marcus Kane, only for his header to be glanced wide of goal. Ards responded on 74' with Jimmy McIlhagga crossing from the right for McKee who saw his shot blocked by a well-placed defender. The ball bounced back out kindly for McConnell though, who connected poorly and spun a shot wide of goal from around 12 yards.

The 84th minute finally saw the game's break-through and it began with a good opening for Linfield's Curtis Black. The young forward chased after a ball sent up the right flank, bursting clear of his marker and getting to within a yard or two of the Ards area. Keeper Graeme McKibbin had sensed the danger early and came quickly out of his goal to be well positioned to make the save when Black attempted to lob the ball home. That led to a corner for the Swifts, which Ards failed to deal with and the loose ball was just the invitation needed by Ross Clarke to hook a shot into the top corner.

Despite the late blow, Ards responded well and with the game entering injury time, were still pushing hard for the equaliser. Ross Arthurs sent a shot wide of goal before two minutes into injury-time Ards found a way through again, with McConnell pushing his way into the box before tumbling with a a Swifts defender. That allowed the ball to break loose for McIlhagga, who thumped in a first time shot that Addis did superbly to save.

It looked then as if Ards' chance had gone, only for more drama in the third minute of added time. As Ards pushed the Swifts back there was a real scramble in the area, with a serious claim for handball as Devine rattled in a shot. Play continued though with McConnell reacting quickest to slam the loose ball home and force the game into unexpected over-time.

Ross Arthurs watches Stuart Addis save his spot kick Picture: Gareth McCluskey

The additional twenty minutes produced little that would separate the teams, with Linfield coming closest to stealing a winner 12 minutes in when Black broke clear away from Nixon and again attempted to lob McKibbin, with the keeper once more equal to the challenge.

So Ards faced penalty kicks for the second time in this season's competition with McKee and McCaul successfully converting before Ross Arthurs saw his kick saved. Gary Brown and BJ Burns took successful kicks as did Ciaran Boyd and Ryan Berry before Cockcroft put the Swifts into a 4-3 lead. Ards' last penalty fell to McConnell, who sent an unconvincing kick straight down the middle, presenting an easy stop for Addis that would carry his team into the next round.

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Ards Team 1 Graeme McKibbin (GK), 12 David Cully, 5 Darren Nixon (capt.), 4 Gary Spence, 3 Kris Pike, 11 Aaron McKee, 17 Jimmy McIlhagga, 6 Ryan Berry, 19 Mark Picking, 9 Nathan McConnell, 10 Ross Arthurs

Substitutes 8 Sammy Devine (for Cully 33), 15 Gareth Corey, 16 Ciaran Boyd (for Pike 57), 20 Adam Arthurs (for Picking 87)

Referee Alan Hayes

24th September 2011

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