Ards vs Queen's University F.C.
County Antrim Shield.
Bangor Fuels Arena.
Tuesday September 10th at 7.45 p.m.
After three consecutive defeats Ards have a chance to get back to winning ways and make progress in a cup competition when Peter Thompson brings his Queen's team to Bangor also hoping for the win that would earn a home tie against Carrick Rangers or Harland and Wolff Welders in the next round.
After earning promotion last season as champions of the Premier Intermediate League, Queen's have made a steady start to life in the Championship and have three wins from their first seven games, meaning they sit just one point behind Ards in the League table. Comparing form is difficult in what has been an unpredictable League so far, but for what it is worth the Queen's victories have come against PSNI, Knockbreda and Dergview.
The Queen's panel should include ex Ards players Marc McKenna and Jonah Mitchell who have both featured recently, in fact Jonah scored the goal in their 3-1 defeat to Dundela. Interestingly, according to their own rules, 75% of the Queen's squad are either currently students at the University or ex-students, while 25% are allowed to be "outsiders" with no formal links to the University.
The fans who made the long and fruitless trip to Dergview at the weekend, where Ards took the lead but eventually lost 3-1, will be hoping that the Red and Blues put on a better showing on Tuesday. Warren Feeney should have a full squad to call on although a couple of players did take heavy knocks against Dergview and could be feeling the after effects.
As the County Antrim Shield is a knock-out competition, season tickets will not be valid.
Match Sponsors : T.G. Eakin, Ballystockart Road, Comber.
Ball Sponsors : J. McDonald. Florist. Newtownards.
Referee : Evan Boyce.
1st Assistant : Mark O'Brien.
2nd Assistant : Eddie Folan.