New signing from Clyde, Gary Muir, was ruled to be ineligible after signing for the club after the Irish Cup deadline had elapsed while James McLaughlin was also cup-tied. However, Andy Smith finally returned from his six-match suspension dated back from December and there was a rare start for Gavin Taggart in midfield.

All to often the Sky Blues have been involved in Cup upsets against lower-league sides but there was no messing about this time as makeshift striker Mark Surgenor scored his second goal in two games after just 14 minutes after Chris Ramsey cut the ball back from the bye-line.

However, a shock was still on as the visitors from Fermanagh drew level in superb style when Cathal Beacom's beautifully struck 30-yard free-kick flew past Dwayne Nelson on 25 minutes and suddenly the Mallards were back in the tie.

Parity only lasted eight minutes at the Showgrounds as Kevin Kelbie restored the home side's lead when Chris Ramsey again was provider, as he allowed the Scottish forward to drill the ball past Morrison in the visiting goal from the edge of the penalty area with his right foot.

United kept up the tempo in the second half and started in blistering fashion when Michael Smith's inswinging corner was met by captain Gary Haveron who swept the ball home, unmarked, for his first goal this season.

On 57 minutes, Kevin Kelbie put the game beyond doubt when he met Gavin Taggart's cross at the back post and tapped home from close range for his second goal and United's fourth of the afternoon. This also marked Kevin Kelbie's 70th goal in Ballymena United colours since joining from Glentoran in August 2005.

Consolation came for the plucky visitors when Seamus Quigley came off the bench and scored with his first touch having not been picked up properly at a corner, he was first to react and headed past Dwayne Nelson with the static United defence looking on.

But it was Kelbie's day and he soon restored their three-goal lead from the penalty spot after the Scot himself had been fouled in the penalty area. This sealed his hat-trick and took his tally for the current season to 12.

The victory took the Braidmen comfortably through to the semi-finals of the Irish Cup for the first time in three years, and a quarter-final against Glenavon at Mourneview Park now awaits Roy Walker's men.

Pictures: Reid McAuley | Videos: Andy Nelson (Sky Blue TV)

Teams:

BALLYMENA UNITED	BALLINAMALLARD UNITED
1: NELSON, Dwayne	1: MORRISON, Trevor
2: RAMSEY, Chris	2: McCONKEY, Mark
3: COLLIGAN, Lee	3: McKENNA, James
4: HAVERON, Gary (c)	4: LIGGETT, Gareth (c)
5: WATSON, Albert	5: STAFFORD, Mark
6: STEWART, Aaron	6: HUTCHINSON, Grant
7: CUSHLEY, David	7: CRILLY, Chris
8: TAGGART, Gavin	8: BEACOM, Cathal
9: SURGENOR, Mark	9: McMANUS, Dwayne
10: KELBIE, Kevin	10: CRAWFORD, Andy
11: SMITH, Michael	11: FLAHERTY, Richard
Substitutes	-
12: LOCKHART, Darren	12: HIGGINBOTHAM, Darren
Not Used	Replaced Andy Crawford (70 mins)
13: ANDERSON, Noel	14: QUIGLEY, Seamus
Replaced Aaron Stewart (57 mins)	Replaced James McKenna (60 mins)
14: McCONNELL, Nathan	15: CARTERS, Leon
Replaced Gavin Taggart (81 mins)	Not Used
16: SMITH, Andy
Replaced David Cushley (57 mins)
20: O'NEILL, Sean
Not Used
Yellow Cards:	-
Unknown	Unknown
Red Cards:	-
None	None