ardsfc.co.uk - Ards Football Club - McDowell bids farewell for now

Kyle McDowell lines up against Bangor Swifts on Saturday in what will be his last appearance in an Ards shirt for three months.

The left-sided player, who joined Ards in the summer from Carrick Rangers, heads to America in the coming days for a three-month sabbatical that will see him look to expand his music career. The planned trip will have Kyle absent from the Ards side until mid-December, when he should return and resume his football.

Kyle will be in the Ards side on Saturday as Justin McBride takes his team to St Collumbanus College to face Bangor Swifts in the third round of the Paddy Power Steel & Sons Cup. The road to this stage of the competition has seen Ards eliminate two other sides from the Amateur League - Crumlin Star on penalties in round one and 1st Bangor by a convincing 5-0 scoreline two weeks ago.

Bangor Swifts play their league football in Division 1C of the Amateur League, having gained promotion to intermediate status two years ago. From their three league fixtures this season, the side have gained a win and a draw but suffered defeat last Saturday to Kilroot Rec in their opening game of the Border Cup.

The Ards side that lines up in Bangor this weekend will likely look very similar to recent weeks. Kris Pike and Gareth Corey remain on the sidelines with injuries, although Sammy Devine and Ryan Berry have resumed light training in recently. Defender David Cully returned from holiday to be an unused substitute last Saturday as Ards defeated Banbridge 3-2 in the Championship and he could well see some action in this week's game.

One player Ards will be without is back-up goalkeeper Paul Kee who is barred from competing in the Steel & Sons as a former full international.

Fans should note that there is no supporters bus laid on this week with all travellers asked to make their own way to the ground for the 2.30pm start. The match will be played to a finish for a place in the fourth round of the cup.

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