Philip Gill
Was in the thick of the action against Ards in Intermediate Cup.

Ards failed to show up and were promptly shipped out at the first hurdle as Kilmore progressed into the next round of the Coca-Cola Intermediate Cup.

The Crossgar Amateurs showed the fight that Ards lacked and were carried through by Mark Holland's well taken first half goal as the visitors lost for the first time under Niall Currie.

The heavy pitch at Robert Adams Park and the rain that fell throughout the first half did little to encourage silky football and so both sides struggled to create any high calibre chances. It proved to be defences rather than forwards who were to come out on top with Ards in particular guilty of squandering chances. On ten minutes only a very timely interception from David Cully prevented Holland from getting on the end of a Peter Telford pass that would have put him clear in front of the Ards goal.

At the other an equally well-timed tackle from Kilmore's Miskelly five minutes later denied Nathan McConnell the chance to turn in Ross Arthur's cross. The game's brightest opening yet came on 16 minutes when Ards' Jimmy McIlhagga put a great pass into Mark Picking and the winger brilliantly beat his man to break into the home penalty area. Bearing down on goal from the left of the box, Picking had the whole far side of the goal to aim at but made it easy for keeper Nathan Curran by driving in at the well-covered near post.

The game's only goal came as early as the 22nd minute. Connelly's low forward ball cut a path through the Ards defence and Holland took possession before evading Darren Nixon and sliding a low shot by the well beaten McKibbin.

Ards had the chance to hit back on 38 minutes but squandered what must be described as the chance of the game. McIlhagga was the provider for the visitors again, this time slipping a pass through that put McConnell in the clear but with just the goalkeeper to beat, the Ards striker lifted his shot well above the crossbar. The half ended in odd circumstances with Kilmore midfielder Steve Rogan yellow carded by the referee as the teams left the pitch after the half-time whistle.

All eyes were on what sort of Ards side would emerge for the second half, with the game clearly slipping away from Niall Currie's side, even with forty-five minutes remaining. The first opening of the new half went Ards' way when, on 53 minutes, Darren Nixon put a ball in from the edge of the area that a defender nudged on to David Cully at the back post. Cully was out luck though as he made a less than clean connection with the ball and Curran saved comfortably.

Kilmore responded minutes later with Philip Gill playing a long and high ball out of his own half that found Sean Bell. The Rec midfielder had the luxury of time and space but opted for an early strike that he dragged wide of the Ards goal from 22 yards. Ards began to up their game as the half progressed with chances being made, but ultimately not being taken. On 79 minutes Curran palmed away a Ryan Berry free kick and then a minute later the goalkeeper turned Ross Arthurs' volley behind for a corner.

The home side were educed to ten men shortly after when Bell took exception to a challenge from Berry. As the pair squared up, Bell raised his hands to shove the Ards man away and he was given his marching orders. After failing to create for such long periods and letting almost every hint of a chance pass by, the final five minutes saw Ards try to exert some pressure on the home goal. Berry put a header over the bar and David Cully got a shot in at Curran, which the goalkeeper blocked relatively easily.

The threat was too little and too late to really trouble the home side though and Kilmore comfortably held on to put themselves into the draw for the next round.

Kilmore Rec: Nathan Curran, Jonny Cheevers, Peter Kelly, Philip Gill, Mark Miskelly, Blaine Connolly, Conor Walsh, Stevie Rogan, Sean Bell, Peter Telford, Mark Holland.
Subs: Ryan Montgomery, Laurence McGonagle, Jack Larkin.