​Familiar foes but Annagh United stand on edge of Irish Cup history

​After the high-profile senior scalp of Portadown in the previous round, Annagh’s reward for that derby triumph is a visit to take on Championship colleagues Bangor.

Having played Lee Feeney’s league leaders on three occasions already this season with points the prize, the two second-tier sides now switch focus to knockout football and an opportunity to reach the Irish Cup quarter-finals.

With unprecedented progress the reward for victory, Annagh boss Ciaran McGurgan accepts it as a case of a common fixture with an end goal all too uncommon.

"A win would put us into the Irish Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever,” said McGurgan. "We don't have a big support but there's a couple of buses going to the match because of the circumstances, so that tells a story with people coming out in their numbers.

"There's certainly going to be a different feel on Saturday...but the game itself won't be any different.

"We're expecting a very, very difficult game against a strong Bangor side.

"But it's a massive opportunity for either club to progress on to a quarter-final.

"We beat them early in the season 1-0 at home and recently 4-3, with Bangor winning 2-1.

"So results show there's nothing much between the two teams and it's going to come down to whoever turns up on the day, which is the story of the Championship really.

"It's going to be a strange situation knowing it's not a league game and because of such a big prize for whoever wins we will be treating it like a cup final."

With seven of the 16 sides in the sixth round from outside the top flight, McGurgan is delighted with the increased spotlight on those leagues thanks to cup progress.

"The results in the Irish Cup so far maybe help people sit up and take notice of the Championship and Premier Intermediate League and it's great to see clubs so competitive,” said McGurgan. "The two clubs have a really good relationship from top to bottom, I'm good friends with Lee (Feeney, Bangor boss).

"For 90 minutes we both want to win then after it's going to be shaking hands and wishing the winner the best in the next round.

"Bangor have done brilliantly since coming into the Championship and, like ourselves, they're trying doing everything possible to progress as a club.

"We've always been confident we would challenge this year and get good runs in cups.

"But, unfortunately, it's been the second year running of early-season injuries and it's put us back.

"But we're more or less up to full capacity, bar one or two which every team has, so we've the players there and there's no excuse.

"We definitely have the quality to compete and the results are going well now players are back.”