Irish Cup: Last-gasp Glenavon deny Mallards upset in fifth-round thriller

Glenavon scored twice in added time to edge Championship side Ballinamallard 2-1 while Irish Cup holders Crusaders were also among Saturday’s winners.

Crusaders thumped Dergview 6-0, Larne and Linfield enjoyed 3-0 wins and Ballymena edged Carrick on penalties.

Glentoran won 2-0 at Moyola Park while Coleraine defeated Loughgall 3-1.

Coleraine, who were Irish Cup winners in 2018, recovered from a goal down to ensure their place in the sixth round draw at Ballycastle Road.

Jackson Holmes put the Championship leaders ahead near the end of the first half but Conor McKendry drew his side level eight minutes after the break with an angled finish from Dean Jarvis’s assist.

Matthew Shevlin gave the Premiership side the lead from the penalty spot and then turned supplier as he set up Michael McCrudden to smash home his fourth of the season.

Terry Devlin opened the scoring for Glentoran against Intermediate side Moyola Park on the 15th minute at Mill Meadow.

After receiving the ball from Paddy McClean the midfielder played a neat one-two with Rory Donnelly before the former Cliftonville frontman crossed low inside the six-yard box for Devlin to fire the Glens into the lead.

Six minutes later Danny Purkis doubled the lead with a powerful header from Aaron Wightman’s expertly delivered corner to ensure the East Belfast side’s passage to the next round.

Sky Blues spot on

In the only all-Premiership tie of the round Ballymena – last season’s runners-up – beat Carrick Rangers 3-0 in a penalty shootout at Taylor’s Avenue after the sides had been deadlocked at 1-1.

The breakthrough came with 20 minutes left when Ben Tilney’s cross from the left fell to Lloyd Anderson and although Ballymena keeper Sean O’Neill got a touch to the effort, he couldn’t prevent it from trundling over the line.

Ballymena equalised with 11 minutes left when Josh Kelly’s long throw-in from the right was met first-time on the volley by Conor Keeley, who fired into the top corner.

Daniel Kelly hit the crossbar late in extra-time for Carrick as the tie went to a penalty shootout. Mikey Place, Ross Redman and Paul McElroy all converted while Mark Surgenor, Jim Ervin and Reece Glendinning failed to hit the target for Carrick.

Linfield secured their place in the last 16 after a comfortable win against Championship side Warrenpoint Town.

Robbie McDaid broke the deadlock for the Blues midway through the first half, with Chris McKee scoring early in the second half before Andrew Clarke added a third late on for the 44-time winners.

Lee Bonis putting the Premiership leaders Larne in front against their Amateur League opponents at Inver Park with a penalty seven minutes before the break.

Leroy Millar made it 2-0 with a superb finish, cutting inside before curling the ball into the top corner.

Shea Gordon sealed the victory in the final minute with a close-range strike from Tomas Cosgrove’s cross.

Ebbe makes mark for holders

Dean Ebbe scored his first goal for Crusaders when he headed home Jordan Forsythe’s cross from the right-hand side to give the defending champions the lead in the fourth minute. The second came when Philip Lowry’s strike was originally denied by Alan Buchanan, but Ebbe knocked in the rebound on the 49th minute.

Just two minutes later the striker got his hat-trick when a looping header made it 3-0. The home side got their fourth when Jordan Owens bundled Ross Clarke’s corner over the line, after busy keeper Buchanan misjudged the cross.

Clever build-up play between Lowry and Declan Caddell resulted in the fifth goal with Lowry’s resulting strike from outside the box finding the back of the net. Caddell was in action again when his pass from the wing found Jonathan McMurray, who cut inside the box before firing home to complete the rout.

Ballinamallard were so close to a shock win over Glenavon at Ferney Park after McAleer drove through before drilling just inside the post with 10 minutes left.

But the Lurgan Blues hit back in the first minute of added time when Campbell sent his free-kick into the bottom corner of the Mallards net.

Glenavon clinched a dramatic win two minutes later thanks to Fitzpatrick’s overhead kick from a corner.