How the Irish fared: Stephen Ward in from the cold as Burnley bury Middlesbrough hopes

Stephen Ward has had a curious and challenging season. Appearances have been rare. The 30-year-old had to wait until the final set of Championship fixtures in 2015 to make his first league start of the season for Burnley.

Oddly, this long period of club inactivity didn’t seem to unduly bother Martin O’Neill. Ward played his part in the famous 1-0 win over Germany at the Aviva Stadium in October, and went on to start in the first leg of the play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

But he remained out in the cold at Burnley and a January move looked inevitable. But suddenly the picture looks a little different.

Ward has started Burnley’s last three games, a 4-0 win over Bristol City, a scoreless draw at Wolves and Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup third round win over Championship leaders Middlesbrough. That win at Boro was secured by a rare Ward goal and the full-back was thrilled to help his side advance to the fourth round.

“It’s a good result for us. In the first-half we didn’t really deal with their shape and you’ve got to give them credit. They’re a good side and they’re top of the league,” he said.

“But we dug in there and I thought we were much better in the second-half, much more solid.

“We’re happy to win and go through to the next round. To come from a goal behind is pleasing as well.”

“It’s nice to be in the hat and we’ve not beaten sides in the top four or five in our league yet so it’s a good marker,” Ward said.

“The gaffer (Sean Dyche) said soak in the feeling of beating a team like this because there are plenty more battles to come against quality sides.”

Reflecting on his goal, Ward said: “I don’t get many so it was nice to score and we’ll see what the draw brings in the next round.”

Stoke also await tonight’s draw with interest after a goal from Jon Walters that was the very definition of a screamer earned the Potters a 2-1 win at Doncaster.

Walters said: “It wasn’t the easiest of games. We knew what they’d be about – they’ve some quality players in their team and it showed – but I was dead happy with my goal.”

Chris Hughton was less pleased after Brighton’s recent downturn in form continued. The Seagulls’ FA Cup ambitions ended after a 1-0 defeat at Hull to leave Hughton a frustrated figure.

“We didn’t cause them enough problems, and particularly on the counter, their qualities showed up,” Hughton said.

There was one positive for Hughton though as former Dundalk star Richie Towell acquitted himself well on his Brighton debut.

Hughton said: “Richie Towell played 90 minutes and coped very well. The last 90 minutes he played was back in November and he has been training very hard to be ready for now.”

Elsewhere, Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich needed a last-gasp equaliser to secure a replay against League Two outfit Portsmouth.

“I’m not sure we deserved the draw. They were excellent. They played some good football and caused us all sorts of problems,” McCarthy said after the 2-2 draw.

“We didn’t play well but we didn’t lose and that has been a theme recently. If we can’t win, don’t get beaten.”

In League One, a Jay O’Shea goal helped Chesterfield to a 3-2 win at Rochdale.