CRUSADERS 3 BALLYMENA UTD 0 BURNS TOASTS SUCCESS..

Crusaders ace delighted to breeze past Sky Blues and admits Cup is now the club’s biggest priority

BILLY JOE BURNS says the Irish Cup is now the priority for Crusaders, who blew away Ballymena United in Saturday’s one sided quarter-final at a blustery Seaview.

The defender bagged a freakish third from distance after Jordan Forsythe and Jordan Owens had put Stephen Baxter’s men in the box seat. Victory propelled the Crues – who last lifted the trophy in

2009 – into the semis, where they will face

Coleraine on the last weekend of the month.

With the champions a distant third in the title race, Burns accepts the Irish

Cup is now a key competition for the Crues, who also face Linfield in the Shield final on March 12.

“The last few years we’ve reached the Irish Cup semi-finals a couple of times, but we’ve never gone on and won the trophy,” said Burns.

“Those years were disappointing, but we were flying in the league and when you’re winning the title, it’s hard to be too disappointed when you don’t lift the Irish Cup.

“I think we’re out of the league race, even though we’ll keep battling on, so the Irish Cup has certainly taken on a priority now.”

If they do lift the Cup in May, the Crues will have to do it the hard way having already seen off Glentoran, Linfield and Ballymena in this year’s competition.

“We’ve had a tough road, so it was no surprise when we were paired with Coleraine, but we’ll look forward to it,” said Burns. “It’s a semi-final of the Irish Cup, so it doesn’t matter who you play. It’ll always be tough.”

With a strong wind at their backs, the Crues took the lead on 21 minutes as Forsythe swept home a clever David Cushley back heel at the back post.

It was 2-0 three minutes later when a defensive mistake allowed Cushley to release Owens to fire past United goalkeeper Ross Glendinning.

And Burns completed a three-goal burst in eight minutes when his attempted cross from 40 yards out soared over Glendinning’s head.

“It was a shot!” he joked. “No, it was a misplaced cross, but it was a decent place to put it. The wind took care of it and luckily it ended up in the back of the net.

“As far as I know Ballymena won the toss and decided to play against the wind in the first half. They were probably thinking if they could see out the first half, the momentum would have been with them, but in hindsight it was maybe a mistake.”

Ballymena boss David Jeffrey (inset) said: “We have no complaints. Crusaders were sharper to the ball, whereas we looked a little bit tired and leggy.”

WIND IN HIS SAILS Billy Joe Burns celebrates his freakish goal for Crusaders on Saturday BALLINAMALLARD United and Warrenpoint Town are on the brink of history after being drawn against each other in the Irish Cup semifinals.Neither club has reached the last-four before while folklore awaits the team that advances to the showpiece in May.Ballinamallard (left, celebrating) beat Dungannon Swifts on penalties at Stangmore Park.Jason Mccartney and Ryan Campbell twice responded for the Championship club after Seanan Clucas and Ally Teggart had fired the Swifts into the lead in normal and extra time.Boss Harry Mcconkey said: “It’s a bit of history for Ballinamallard and it’ll be the first time the club has played in an Irish Cup semifinal, so we’ll go and enjoy the day.”Warrenpoint booked their place in the semis with a 3-1 win over Larne Tech Old Boys thanks to a hat-trick from skipper Simon Kelly.Town boss Stephen Mcdonnell accepts the border club will be favourites in the last four, but warned: “I think Ballinamallard will be equally pleased with the draw.”