CREST CO ANTRIM SHIELD Glentoran 3-2 Lis Distillery Ballymena 2-0 Cliftonville Crusaders 1-2 Larne

However, the holders were shocked in the opening minute when Andy Waterworth put Ards ahead.

However, Thompson's treble and strikes from Glenn Ferguson, Aiden O'Kane, William Murphy and Chris Kingsberry, gave the Blues plenty to spare.

Ards were able to pinch a second goal again through Waterworth.

It was Waterworth's strike that surprised George Neill's side never mind Linfield, when after 68 seconds, the striker pounced on a through ball from Robert Knox to bundle the ball into the net.

The Blues were stung into action, but it was not until the 32nd minute when they grabbed the equaliser as O'Kane fired home a low shot from the left.

Linfield came out of the traps at full speed on the resumption and from an O'Kane corner, the ball was floated in by Michael Gault and Ferguson headed home from 10 yards.

Thompson made it 3-1 in the 56th minute when he was on the end of a driven cross by Oran Kearney, and the striker added a second two minutes later following good work by Murphy.

Ards, however, shocked the Blues again with a replica of their opening goal with Knox the supplier and Waterworth firing home.

But the Blues responded with two quick strikes in as many minutes with Kingsberry turning in a Mark Picking cross and Thompson grabbing his hat-trick with a simple tap-in on 75 minutes.

The Blues finished well on top with |Murphy making it seven a few minutes from the end with a header from nine yards out.