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Linfield saw off battling Ards 3-2 at Windsor Park and Cliftonville eased past Glentoran 3-0 at the Oval in the County Antrim Shield quarter-finals.

Brian McCaul and Kyle McVey scored with first-half headers for the Blues and striker Matthew Tipton added a third.

Andy Mitchell netted from close range in the 90th minute and Craig McMillen scored an excellent solo goal after 92.

Paddy McNally scored the Reds' opener and Stephen Garrett was on target twice for the visitors in the second half.

Linfield broke the deadlock against Premiership strugglers Ards with McCaul's header from four yards out from a Niall Quinn corner after 16 minutes.

Earlier, goalkeeper Simon Steele had made good saves from Waterworth and a Quinn free-kick.

On 26 minutes defender McVey headed home from close range after Quinn had played a corner short to Jamie Mulgrew, who fired in the crucial cross.

Ards came more into the game and ex-Blues midfielder Ryan Henderson shot just over from the edge of the area and was then just off-target with an overhead kick.

Linfield had the ball in the net again but referee Andrew Davey ruled the goal out after a foul by Waterworth on Steele after the keeper had failed to hold on to James Knowles' long-range drive.

After the break Jonathan Tuffey saved well from Mark McClelland, Tipton headed wide, McVey headed over and Billy Joe Burns volleyed just wide.

Tipton then took advantage of a fumble by Steele for the third, before former Glenavon player Mitchell pulled one back and McMillen gave David Jeffrey's side a late scare with another in added time.

At the Oval, McNally headed home in first-half injury time for Cliftonville, who rested several key players.

Garrett latched onto a sublime pass by Liam Boyce and slotted the ball under Elliott Morris in the 59th minute and then headed in off the bar past a helpless Morris soon after.

The Glens tried to respond and Johnny Addis saw a header cannon off the bar and Jordan Hughes fired over.

County Antrim Shield quarter-finals

Ballymena 1-0 Donegal Celtic

Crusaders 3-0 Lisburn Distillery

Glentoran 0-3 Cliftonville

Linfield 3-2 Ards

North West Cup quarter-final

Coleraine 3-1 Limavady Utd