County Antrim Shield semi-finals: Crusaders 4 PSNI 2;
Linfield 6 Ards 1
THIS year’s County Antrim Shield final will be an all-Belfast affair after Crusaders and Linfield both came through their respective semi-finals on Tuesday.
Linfield were comprehensive 6-1 winners against Ards at Windsor Park. Andrew Waterworth opened the scoring after 10 minutes. The Blues took a quick free kick which picked out an unmarked Chris Casement and he found the striker who scored from inside the box.
Five minutes later, the same player made it 2-0 when he out-sped the Ards defence and finished into the bottom corner. On 17, the game was effectively settled when Paul Smyth drove home from a Niall Quinn corner. Kirk Millar further demoralised Niall Currie’s side when his chip just after the half hour made it 4-0 at half-time.
Eleven minutes into the second-half, Michael Ruddy pulled one back for Ards from the penalty spot before David Healy’s side added further goals from a Mark Haughey header on 79 and a second from Smyth five minutes from time.
Crusaders joined them in the decider following their 4-2 win against PSNI, but did not get it all their own way in a tight game. David Cushley got Stephen Baxter’s side up and running after six minutes following some good work from Michael Carvill.
PSNI equalised on 42 through Moody. Parity was short lived though as Carvill made it 2-1 at the break. Back came PSNI with another equaliser on 49 from McDowell. Cushley eased the nerves of the Crues faithful with his second 10 minutes from the end and Paul Heatley added the gloss on 90 minutes.
