Cliftonville roared through to the Clearer Water Irish Cup Final with a sensational performance to defeat Larne at Windsor Park this evening.
After a nervy start, the Reds began to feel their way into the game and, cheered on by a raucous fanbase in the North Stand, took the lead through Jonny Addis’ 34th minute header.
The second-half threatened to be a story of what might have been with Cliftonville seeing glorious chances for Odhrán Casey and Rory Hale go to waste, while Ro-Shaun Williams missed with a point-blank header for Larne before Micheal Glynn blasted an effort into the side netting.
Sufficiently spooked by that scare, the Reds set about putting the game to bed and did just that when Ronan Hale eked out some space to smash in the second goal with five minutes left to play.
Both Hale and Joe Gormley might have extended Cliftonville’s advantage thereafter but it didn’t matter in the end as Jim Magilton’s side march on to a decisive date with Linfield on Saturday, May 4.