A TRIP to Mourneview Park to face Glenavon is Harland & Wolff Welders’ reward for Saturday’s Irish Cup fifth round win over Danske Bank Premiership outfit Newry City.
Things appeared to be going to plan for Newry at the Showgrounds when John McGovern put them ahead after 23 minutes. However, the Welders were level within six minutes when a Jonny Frazer corner went straight into the City net.
And the visitors completed the surprise victory when a late Kyle Owens header set up the sixth round tie with the Lurgan club, who made hard work of their trip to Ballinamallard on Saturday afternoon.
Caolan McAleer had fired the Mallards in front and they were on course for an upset until Peter Campbell and Matthew Fitzpatrick saved Glenavon’s bacon late on.
Coleraine will travel to Solitude for an all-Premiership clash with Cliftonville in the next round after Oran Kearney’s side came from a goal down against Loughall at Ballycastle Road.
Jackson Holmes had put the Championship leaders in front in the first-half, and it took until after the break for Conor McKendry to draw Coleraine level with an angled finish from a Dean Jarvis ball.
Matthew Shevlin then gave the home side the lead from the penalty spot before turning supplier as he set up Michael McCrudden to claim his fourth of the season.
The Reds had put themselves in the hat thanks to a 5-0 stroll at Dundela on Friday night. Sean Moore again impressed for Paddy McLaughlin’s men, opening the scoring in the first-half, while Ronan Hale grabbed a hat-trick and Joe Gormley struck from the penalty spot.
Larne will host Linfield in another heavyweight clash after the east Antrim men overcame Crumlin United at Inver Park. Lee Bonis put the Premiership leaders in front from the spot seven minutes before the break and Leroy Millar made it 2-0 with a brilliant finish, cutting inside before curling the ball into the top corner.
Shea Gordon put the gloss on the win in the final minute with a close-range conversion from Tomás Cosgrove's cross.
It took a penalty shoot-out for Ballymena United to squeeze past Carrick Rangers at Taylor’s Avenue, and they will now meet Newington at the Showgrounds at the start of February.
Lloyd Anderson had given Carrick the lead only for the visitors to equalise through Conor Keeley with 11 minutes to go. In the penalty shootout, Mikey Place, Ross Redman and Paul McElroy all converted for Ballymena, while Carrick failed to make any of their spot-kicks count.
At Solitude, Darren Stuart had put Newington into the lead against Ballymoney United, only for it to be cancelled out by a Gerald Gillan strike. The ’Ton weren’t to be denied their victory, however, and a brilliant Michael Morgan goal put them back in front after Stuart had had a penalty saved by Liam Coyle.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Cup holders Crusaders put six past Dergview to set up a sixth round tie with Bangor, who beat Tandragee Rovers 4-0, while Glentoran put their league woes behind them to record a 2-0 win over Moyola Park.
The Glens will now travel to Portadown in the sixth round after Niall Currie’s side beat Banbridge Town 2-0 at Shamrock Park.
Ballyclare Comrades beat Dollingstown 1-0 at Dixon Park, while Institute strolled to a 4-0 home win over Annagh United. Premiership outfit Dungannon Swifts dismissed Ards 3-1 at Stangmore Park and Knockbreda beat St Mary’s YC 2-0.
Irish Cup sixth round draw
Portadown v Glentoran
Cliftonville v Coleraine
Ballymena United v Newington
Larne v Linfield
Institute v Ballyclare Comrades
Glenavon v H&W Welders
Knockbreda v Dungannon Swifts
Bangor v Crusaders
Ties to be played Saturday, February 4
