Haveron’s Gers get that Friday feeling

The Seaview clash has all the ingredients for what should be an intriguing encounter, with both sides keen to book their spot in the Christmas Day showpiece.

Rangers and Ards have more than a little history in the competition in recent times. The Amber Army will have bad memories of the 2008 final when Ricky Billing’s injury-time strike snatched a 2-1 victory for Ards to sink Stephen Small’s team.

The two clubs also met at the quarter-final stage in 2012 with the North Down outfit coming out on top in a feisty affair in which six players saw red.

Ironically, it was current Carrick midfielder Ben Browne who landed the killer blow in that one, bagging Ards an extra-time winner in a 3-2 thriller.

Niall Currie’s charges may be above the Gers in the Championship 1 table but when they last met in September, Miguel Chines’ first-half goal was enough for Gary Haveron’s men to claim the bragging rights.

Both sides make no bones about it: they are hungry to get back to the promised land of the Premiership and promotion is their number-one priority. But you’ll not find any of the players happy to be on the losing side come tonight’s final whistle. Games like these matter too much.

For Haveron, in particular, a win sets up a huge chance for a shot at a first piece of silverware as a manager.