Holders Swifts ease into sixth round with win over Ards

12 hours ago 1

Holders Dungannon Swifts began their Irish Cup defence with a routine 3-0 victory over Championship side Ards.

Last year's beaten finalists Cliftonville secured their passage into the sixth round as they picked up a 3-0 win over Dundela at Solitude.

In an all-Premiership tie, Linfield edged past Bangor 1-0 at Windsor Park while Carrick Rangers eased into the next round with a 5-1 win over Queen's University.

There was an upset at Holm Park as amateur side Drumaness Mills stunned Championship Armagh City 4-1.

Limavady United beat Lisburn Rangers 4-0 and Steels and Sons Cup winners Ballymacash Rangers picked up a 3-0 win over Comber Rec.

The game at Mill Meadow between Premier Intermediate leaders Moyola Park and H&W Welders has gone to extra time.

Seven of Saturday's games were postponed due to frozen pitches.

Swift start to Irish Cup defence from Dungannon

Dungannon Swifts came hurtling out of the traps against Ards and the breakthrough arrived on 15 minutes.

A cross from the left by Leo Alves was met by Sean McAllister, whose powerful header from close range had too much for Marc Matthews in the Ards goal.

Dungannon kept up the pressure and soon added a second through striker Junior Uzokwe.

Again, it came from a left-sided cross as Adam Glenny got to the byeline and whipped in a delivery which Junior steered past Matthews.

A nightmare half for Ards got worse eight minutes before half-time when Tiernan Kelly got on the end of goalkeeper Declan Dunne's longball and coolly dink the ball over Matthews from just inside the penalty area.

Dungannon continued to dominate proceedings after the half-time break but despite creating a number of openings, they failed to add to their tally.

McAllister should have added to his first half-goal on the hour after some clever link-up play from Junior and Alves, but his effort went over the crossbar.

Shea Gordon and Andrew Mithell also spurred opportunities but in the end, Dungannon had to settle for the three goals they claimed in the first half.

Reds reach sixth round

The hosts took an early lead on seven minutes when Shaun Leppard's long ball over the top picked out Conor Falls and he composed himself before lobbing the ball over the on-rushing Lewis Hunter.

Chances after that goal were few and far between as Oisin Barr and Adebayo Fapetu had half chances at either end.

Falls also came close to a second for him and the Reds, but his header was stopped by Hunter.

The second half was a slow burner, but the Duns started to get back into the game with Andrew Hoey's curling effort almost finding the top corner before Lewis Ridd was forced into his first real save from Barr.

That had a few at Solitude shifting nervously in their seats, but debutant Brian Healy calmed them down with 20 minutes to go.

He took the ball down off a Ryan Curran knockdown and curled into the top corner with the outside of the boot.

With just under 10 minutes to go, substitute Sean Robertson was felled on the edge of the box and he picked himself up to curl home a lovely free-kick into the top corner.

Baird helps Blues past Bangor

The first half was totally dominated by David Healy's side, who looked threatening when they got the ball in wide areas and that paid dividends on 43 minutes.

Isaac Baird headed Dane McCullough's cross into the bottom corner with real precision to open the scoring.

Substitute Ben Arthurs squandered a great opportunity to level midway through the second half.

After beating the offside trap, the striker's touch was far too heavy as he raced towards goal which allowed Blues goalkeeper Chris Johns to prevent the Bangor striker from even getting a shot away.

The Seasiders huffed and puffed late on as they went in search of an equaliser, but they were unable to force extra-time as the Linfield defence stood firm and saw out the game in a professional manner.

Five-star showing from Carrick

Carrick thoroughly dominated the opening period and went close on 17 minutes when Danny Gibson tried his luck from an acute angle, but Daniel Collett in goal was equal to the task and blocked with his foot.

However, their pressure paid off a minute later when Adam Lecky rose highest to meet a cross from Aidan Steele to head home his fourth goal of the season.

They went close to a second 10 minutes later as Matthew Snoddy crossed to the lunging Steele, who looked set to score from two-yards out, but somehow he scooped the ball over the crossbar.

Steele soon made amends on 34 minutes. Debutant Michael Place crossed to Lecky, who nodded towards the unmarked Steele and he tapped home.

Queen's were thrown a lifeline three minutes later when Ronan Young fired in a free-kick from the right that appeared to take a touch en-route off the head of Gibson and into the goal.

Carrick added a third 12 minutes after the re-start as Gibson supplied yet another cross from the right and Joe Crowe acrobatically volleyed home a right-footed volley from 12 yards.

A fourth then came on 62 minutes as Paul Heatley delivered from the left and in floated Snoddy to guide the ball home with his head from six yards.

They netted a fifth 10 minutes from time as substitute Ryan McKay whipped in a low free-kick from the right that was nudged home from close range by Gibson.

Drumaness spring a surprise

Drumaness produced the biggest upset of the day as the Northern Amateur Football League side enjoyed a comfortable win over second-tier strugglers Armagh City.

They raced ahead through Adam Garland on 13 minutes and second-half goals from Reece Doyle, Jack Sharvin and Declan Looney sealed their place in the next round.

Ethan Doogan-Ballantine scored what proved to be a consolation for Armagh from the spot.

Gary Hamilton's Ballymacash will also be in the sixth0round draw as a double from Harry O'Neill and a late goal from Robert Robinson helped them past Comber Rec.

The away side finished with nine men as both Brandon Nelson and Christoper Murray were sent off, while Stuart Clarke was dismissed for Cash.

Goals from Mikhail Kennedy, Rodney Brown, Lewis Tosh and Philip Lowry helped Limavady United beat Lisburn Rangers, with Anthony Burns on target for the away side.