County Antrim Shield: Cliftonville grab late win over Ards

Joe Gormley scored a spectacular late winner to give Cliftonville a 2-1 extra-time win over Championship side Ards in the County Antrim Shield.

Ards were just seconds away from taking the Premiership leaders to a penalty shoot-out when striker Gormley pounced.

Ards had taken the lead in the 30th minute when Ross Arthurs swept the ball in.

Cliftonville equalised early in the second half through Martin Donnelly who also hit a post with a free-kick.

It was a heartbreaking end for Niall Currie's side and ended their hopes of an unlikely appearance in the final of a senior cup competition.

The underdogs had kept dangerman Gormley quiet for 110 minutes but when the Cliftonville front man got his chance right at the end he took it in style.

Victory for Ards would have set up a meeting with County Down neighbours Bangor, whose Clandeboye Road ground they share.

They did scent an upset when Arthurs put them into the lead by shooting in after Conor Devlin had failed to gather Gary Warwick's high free-kick into the penalty area.

Donnelly equalised in the 56th minute after Gormley had cut the ball back from the bye-line.

It was Gormley who then scored the last-gasp winner with a spectacular scissor-kick finish to put Cliftonville through to play Championship One leaders Bangor in the 13 January final.