Ards' Irish Cup hero admits performance in shock penalty shoot-out victory over Crusaders was best of his career so far

Paddy Cafolla had handed the Championship outfit a shock 15th minute lead at Seaview before Jordan Forsythe equalised just before half-time for Stephen Baxter’s side.

Moore then made a number of fine saves to keep his team in the tie, eventually bringing it to spot-kicks where the ex-Linfield and Dungannon Swifts stopper denied Crues captain Billy Joe Burns, who stepped up to take his side’s seventh penalty.

Ethan Taggart held his nerve to secure a mammoth upset with their reward a sixth round trip to fellow second-tier club Institute, who defeated Crumlin Star.

"Yeah I would say it was (the best performance of my career), although I think I should have done better with the goal,” said Moore. “It certainly was the most saves I’ve ever made in a game.

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions throughout. When we went 1-0 up I was thinking 'hold on to what we've got', but then they pulled it back and it was just a relief almost at the end.

"It was a relief to get it to penalties in the first place because they were pushing and even with 10-men they were definitely the better team. If you look at it on paper they deserved to win, but it was a relief to get over the line and get the result."

The two sides traded blow for blow in the shoot-out with Forsythe, Ross Clarke, Daniel Larmour, Paul Heatley, Jay Boyd and Jarlath O’Rourke netting for the hosts while Michael Ruddy, James McLaughlin, Callum Dougan, George Tipton. Ross Hunter, Aidan Steele and ultimate match-winner Taggart produced the goods for Ards to seal a 7-6 success after Moore’s save from Burns.

Goalkeeper coach Paul Kee, who earned nine Northern Ireland caps and also played for Crusaders, had done background research on potential penalty takers ahead of the tie, but it was ultimately left up to Moore’s own instincts.

"Paul watches up on previous penalties taken by the opposition, but we only had data for Jordan Forsythe and Adam Lecky, who went off,” he added. “I knew Jordan Forsythe went left, but he went top left and I couldn't get near it anyway!

"You almost just go on a feeling. A lot of it is guessing and watching the run up and what way they are looking, but for the most part you're guessing and you have to be lucky in not only going the right way but saving it too.

"I thought I wasn't going to save any when the first few went in! I thought maybe I'd be letting the boys down by not saving one, but when I eventually did I was just praying that Ethan would score the last one and get us through."

What makes the feat even more incredible is the fact Ards are without a permanent manager after parting company with Matthew Tipton last weekend following a winless Championship run of six matches.

Daryl Phillips took charge of the Clandeboye Park outfit for their memorable triumph and Moore hopes the result can help act as a springboard to improve league fortunes with Ards currently sitting 10th.

"Daryl has been the assistant for the last couple of seasons that I've been here and he has been brilliant with us,” he said. “He stepped in and without Tippy and the changes going on it does make it more impressive.

"It shows the togetherness we have as a team of players and with the staff. We haven't done well enough or performed like we can in the league so far and hopefully a result like this can be a catalyst to spur us on to perform better."