Glentoran march on with goal double after the break in Co Antrim Shield semi-final

Junior and substitute Ruaidhri Donnelly hit second-half goals in a 2-0 win that helped lift the gloom which has hovered over the east Belfast club after their recent ‘Big Two’ league derby defeat by Linfield.

Glentoran missed a glorious chance to break the deadlock after only eight minutes.

James Singleton fired in a great cross from the left that was knocked down by Jay Donnelly for Junior, who blasted over the crossbar form six yards.

Ards goalkeeper Neil Shields was then relieved to see another Singleton cross drift inches over the crossbar when he was slightly out of position.

It was all Glentoran at this point.

Niall McGinn was next to try his luck with a low shot that Shields gobbled up at the base of the post.

Junior then showed great control on the edge of the box after picking up a pass from Aidan Wilson, only to see his shot fizz inches past the post.

After soaking up all the early pressure, Ards at last gave the visitors something to think about at the other end with Aidan Steele sending in a 25-yard shot that Aaron Carey managed to touch for a corner-kick.

Conor Scannell took the resulting corner-kick and Ross Hunter, totally unmarked, shamefully headed wide of a gaping goal.

But Glens defender Wilson held his head his hands in frustration eight minutes from the interval as he powered forward only the see his blistering drive flash back off the crossbar with Steele totally beaten.

Glentoran finally forged the breakthrough on 54 minutes.

Donnelly’s excellent flick sent Junior free and when Shields rushed from his line the striker produced the most delicious of lobs that nestled in the net.

It really should have been two seconds later when Donnelly got on the end of a McGinn cross but he could only direct his header wide.

But Ards came back off the ropes with Conor Scannell firing a shot just past the post before substitute Ethan Taggart found the unmarked Steele, who could only shoot against the legs of McCarey.

Glentoran almost increased their advantage 15 minutes from time when Scannell flattened substitute Daire O’Connor on the edge of the box.

But McGinn’s free-kick inched over the top.

Feeney’s boys sealed the deal on 94 minutes when Donnelly capitalised on an error by Max Greer before drilling low into the bottom corner.

ARDS: Shields, Greer, Maxwell, McCallum, Ruddy (Miller, 80), E.Scannell (Taggart, 39; Dougan, 88), Gorman, Steele, C.Scannell, Hunter, McLaughlin.

Subs (not used): Moore, Hamill, Ritchie, Tipton.

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Kane, Wilson, Burns, J.Donnelly, Singleton, Palmer, McClean (O’Connor, 46), Locke (Kelly, 59), McGinn (Murphy, 87), Junior (R.Donnelly, 80).

Subs (not used): Webber, Boyd, Feeney.

Referee: Tony Clarke.