National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Ards or Glentoran that keep their silverware dream alive.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
Ards form and stats
Ards have collected 9 points from their Championship home games so far after 3-0-1.
Ards are returning here after visiting Knockbreda and winning with a 4-1 scoreline.
Before that game, the 5-2 home victory against Dergview.Ards are traveling soon after this match as the Championship match at Institute awaits in four days.
It's still early days, but we have some goal stats for the Ards at home in the league. 8 on target and 8 scored by the opposition; from 4 matches.
Glentoran form and stats
Glentoran are happy with their away performances in the Premiership so far, having secured two victories and one draw from their first three travels.
Glentoran have succeeded in guarding their own goal lately, led by their goalkeeper. It's been 535 minutes since they last conceded in Premiership.
The followers enjoyed Glentoran's previous game versus Carrick Rangers, a 5-0 win played at home. As mentioned above, Glentoran was the only team on the pitch versus Carrick Rangers in their previous game, winning 5-0. This could be a tougher task.
That result followed a home victory 1-0 versus Coleraine in the Premiership.Glentoran have another game away in just three days, a Premiership game vs Linfield. A rough timetable for them!
Glentoran have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 3 league away games 4 goals have been scored.
Head 2 Head
Glentoran have avoided defeat in the last 5 fixtures (3-2-0) against Ards.Top Goalscorers
  C. McMenamin 4 goals | P. McClean 2 goals | J. Donnelly 2 goals |
Ards missing players
Glentoran missing players
| Ards | Glentoran | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 9 | Played | P | 10 | 25 | ||
| 11 | 6 | Won | W | 5 | 15 | ||
| 4 | 1 | Drew | D | 4 | 5 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 5 | ||
| 51 | 23 | Scored | S | 17 | 51 | ||
| 54 | 14 | Conceded | C | 9 | 28 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 90% | 92% | ||
| 88% | 78% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 70% | 72% | ||
| 80% | 67% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 40% | 56% | ||
| 60% | 56% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 30% | 36% | ||
| 44% | 56% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 20% | 24% | ||
| 64% | 56% | BTTS | BTTS | 60% | 52% | ||
| 20% | 22% | Clean Sheets | C S | 40% | 40% | ||
| 16% | 22% | Failed to Score | F T | 10% | 16% | ||
| 4.7 | 4.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 5.2 | 5.6 | ||
| 5.2 | 7 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.4 | 4 | ||
| 0.7 | 1.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.2 | 1.1 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | ||
| 12.5 | 13.2 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 10.2 | 12.7 | ||
| 6.3 | 7.2 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.5 | 5.5 | ||
| 38% | 38% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 43% | 36% | ||
| 10.6 | 10.8 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 7.9 | 7.3 | ||
| 5 | 5 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 2.8 | 2.8 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Loughgall | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 25 |
| 2 | Annagh United | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 22 |
| 3 | Dundela | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Warrenpoint Town | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 17 |
| 5 | Ards | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| 6 | Ballinamallard United | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| 7 | Newington Youth | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
| 8 | Ballyclare Comrades | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -4 | 11 |
| 9 | Knockbreda | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -7 | 9 |
| 10 | Institute | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -5 | 8 |
| 11 | H&W Welders | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | -9 | 4 |
| 12 | Dergview | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | -18 | 1 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Larne | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 20 |
| 2 | Glentoran | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 19 |
| 3 | Cliftonville | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 17 |
| 5 | Coleraine | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 16 |
| 6 | Linfield | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| 7 | Carrick Rangers | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 13 |
| 8 | Glenavon | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 9 | Ballymena United | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -8 | 7 |
| 10 | Newry City AFC | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -10 | 6 |
| 11 | Dungannon Swifts | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 15 | -19 | 3 |
| 12 | Portadown | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | -16 | 1 |
