Ards take Premiership scalp at Shamrock Park

He made it clear what he thought afterwards: “This was a really important cup for me personally, we did really well in this cup last season, for that to happen tonight.”

The home side made seven changes to their starting line-up and almost fell behind ten minutes into the game when a slack ball from Baris Altintop was picked up by Eamon Scannell, but his shot was well saved by Ray. At the other end a shot with the outside of his foot from McCullough fizzed wide of the post.

On 26 minutes Ards were awarded a penalty which seemed very harsh as the ball was fired point blank towards McCullough. Justice was done when Ray saved the spot kick from Hunter low to his left. On 31 minutes good work by McElroy down the left saw his cross turned narrowly wide by Wylie.

Tempers flared on 38 minutes when Ukek saw red for an alleged headbutt on Conor Scannell after a bit of pushing and shoving in front of the Ards dugout. He is set for a spell on the sidelines now with the ensuing ban, after referee Glenn Buchanan confirmed it was a forward motion of the head from Ukek.

The ten men of Portadown looked livelier after the break and on 53 minutes Liam Mullan fed the ball through the Ards defence to Obhakhan, but his shot went agonisingly wide and just a minute later Ahu fired a shot across goal which hit the back post and rebounded to safety. Just before the hour mark a surging run from McCartan saw his shot blocked for a corner.

On 78 minutes Zach Barr headed just over in a rare Ards break out. Another surging run from McCartan on 89 minutes led to a Mayse pass to Obhakhan but the ball was just ahead of him. Ards broke down field and Ray made a hash of a ball into the box and the ball bounced off Steele and rolled into the empty goal.

Portadown finalists in this competition last season bow out at the first hurdle and now turn their attentions to league matters on Saturday when they visit Mourneview Park for the first of back to-back games against Glenavon. The Ports gaffer Niall Currie, was disappointed by the inability of his team to raise their game,

”First and foremost we have to apologise to the fans, we rotated tonight, we had a couple of people carrying injuries, so we gave other people opportunities, unfortunately for them they didn’t take it,” he said.

Portadown: Ray,Altintop(Henderson), D Wilson, L Wilson, McElroy, McCullough, Wylie(Obhakhan), Ukek, Riley(Friel),Mullan(Mayse), McCartan, Unused Subs: Francey, Redman, McDonagh

Ards: Moore, Greer, McAvoy, Arthur, E Scannell, Simpson, C Scannell, Hunter(Steele), Alfred(Barr), Tipton(Cafolla), Quinn. Unused Subs: Gibbons, Maxwell, Newell, Dalzel