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Niall Currie's side defeated their North Down opponents thanks to Dean Smith's 65th minute goal to add the prestigious trophy to the Carnegie First Division, Carnegie League Cup, Bob Radcliffe Cup and Mid-Ulster Cup to put the cap on a tremendous season for the Villagers.

Smith proved to be the difference between the sides in a closely fought encounter when he placed a 15-yard header to the left of Ards 'keeper Andy McDonald after an attempted Kris Pike clearance fell into his path.

Ards might have opened the scoring, though, inside the opening 20 minutes after Craig McMillan failed to convert a Gary Clifford cross from the right.

Andy Brown responded for Loughgall with a somewhat weak effort from just inside the area which McDonald did well to keep out - as he did with a Smith drive six minutes from the break.

Ricky Billing then delivered a rasping effort just past the Loughgall post early in the second half while Jamesie Wilson sent the ball over the bar moments later with Marty Lavery doing something similar at the other end.

However the game was settled by that Smith header and despite their best efforts and plenty of possession Ards failed to find their way through a determined Villagers defence in the 25 minutes or so that followed.

Ards: McDonald, Nixon, Pike, Spence, Wilson, McMillan, Stirling, McKee, Billing, Roy, Clifford subs Johnston, Cully, McBride, Parker, Sharratt

Loughgall: Robinson, Waddell, Alderdice, Peden, Murphy, Herron, Moffatt, A. Smith, Brown, Adair, D. Smith subs Walker, Adamcyzk, Lavery, Allen, Pentland

Referee: Simon Creaney (Newtownards)

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