WORTHY WINNERS

Another hat-trick at Windsor for red-hot Andy seals glorious treble for the Blues

ANDY WATERWORTH was the toast of Windsor Park as Linfield cruised to a domestic treble in yesterday’s Tennent’s Irish Cup final.

The in-form striker wrote himself into the history books with a first hat-trick in the showpiece in almost half a century to ease the Big Two giants to their third trophy of a memorable campaign.

Waterworth bagged a quickfire double on 29 and 34 minutes to put the Blues in control and he duly picked up the match ball with his third of the day two minutes from time.

The last player to bag three or more goals in the blue riband shootout was Billy McAvoy who scored four for Ards in a 4-2 win over Distillery in 1969.

Waterworth, who also bagged a hat-trick to clinch Linfield’s first league title in five years at Cliftonville last weekend, said: “I’m feeling on top of the world.

“I’ve always dreamt of days like this and to win the league, Irish Cup and County Antrim Shield in one season is great for the club and the supporters.

“It’s nice to win a domestic treble and hopefully it’s just the start. We want to kick on now and bring more major honours back to Windsor.”

On the day, the Blues were simply too hot to handle for a young Coleraine side who were bidding to win the North West club’s first Irish Cup since 2003.

It was Linfield, with the pacy Paul Smyth back from suspension, who carved out the first opportunity, Chris Johns forced to claw Mark Haughey’s looping header away from danger.

The Blues also saw Mark Stafford screw a close range effort wide of target on 23 minutes before David Healy’s men opened the scoring on the half hour mark with Waterworth’s first of the day.

The in-form striker fed Smyth on the right wing and there was only one outcome when the teenager’s deflected cross found him at the near post.

It was 2-0 on 34 minutes when Waterworth bagged his second of the day following incisive approach play from strike partner Aaron Burns.

Burns forced a smart parry from Johns after skipping past the wrong footed McConaghie and Waterworth was on hand to fire home from 10 yards out.

An early Brad Lyon’s freekick, which sailed over the bar, and tame Jamie McGonigle shot just before the break were Coleraine’s only efforts of note in a below par opening period.

The Bannsiders were much improved in the second period and McGonigle headed over from a flicked on Darren McCauley cross on the hour mark as Kearney’s men chased a reprieve.

Northern Ireland keeper Roy Carrol also had to scramble low to his right to smother an Eoin Bradley cross which was deflected goalwards by the covering Stephen Lowry.

Niall Quinn headed over for Linfield near the end, before the champions put the result beyond doubt on 88 minutes when Waterworth completed his hat trick.

Smyth raced clear on the right and delivered an inch perfect low cross for the striker to sweep home his 30th goal of a remarkable campaign.