BETMcLEAN CUP
BALLYMENA UNITED 1
ROCKS 14’
ARDS 0
A FIRST-HALF finish from Donal Rocks was enough for Ballymena United to progress to the last eight of the BetMcLean Cup at the expense of a battling Ards on Tuesday evening.
Ards boss John Bailie made eight changes to the side from Saturday’s league clash against Newington for this latest meeting with Premiership opposition, among them a first competitive start for teenager Jay Dalzell after his recent exploits for the Reserves and just a second appearance of the season for Alex Moore in goal.
Moore was called upon after eight minutes when he palmed away a powerful header from United’s Ethan Devine. At the other end opposite number Sean O’Neill did well to deny Zach Barr from eight yards after he connected sweetly with a Conor Scannell corner.
The home side produced what turned out to be the game’s decisive moment just shy of the quarter-hour. Sean Brown and Ethan Devine combined to set Joseph Moore free on the right and his cutback was swept home from the edge of the area by Rocks for his first goal for the club.
Youngster Dalzell flashed over from a narrow angle early in the second half for Ards and then 10 minutes later Barr was presented with a great opportunity to equalise, but fluffed his lines from 12 yards out.
With the visitors growing in confidence, another chance to draw level went begging when Bobby Deane sent clear Ross Hunter and the substitute rounded Sean O’Neill before the ball became stuck under his feet. Eamon Scannell latched onto the loose ball and tried his luck from the edge of the box but the goalkeeper was equal to his dipping effort.
Still Ards remained on the front foot with Hunter again at the heart of things two minutes later, this time his first touch denying the chance to get a shot away.
Former Ards man Calvin McCurry then threatened to put the game to bed but watched his strike come back off against the crossbar as Jim Ervin’s team saw out the rest of the game to set up a date in the quarter-finals.
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Rocks, Coates (C), Kennedy, Moore, O’Donnell, O’Mahoney, Brown, Devine, Devlin, Carson.
Substitutes: Gawne (Kennedy 59), McCurry (Moore 59), McCallion (O’Mahoney 77), Hawe (Devine 90), Barr (Devlin 90). Not used: Johnston, Scott.
Booked: Kennedy, Devlin.
Ards: Moore, Greer, Ruddy (C), E. Scannell, Barr, Simpson, Steele, C. Scannell, Deane, Quinn, Dalzell.
Substitutes: Hunter (Dalzell 64), Cafolla (Simpson 64), Newell (Barr 71), Maxwell (Deane 79). Not used: Gibbons, Alfred, Boyd.
Booked: Barr, Ruddy, Dalzell.
