Irish Cup semi-final: Crusaders 2 Cliftonville 1
BILLY Joe Burns may have a sack full of medals collected from his time at the pinnacle of Irish League football, but the Crusaders defender insists he takes no final appearance for granted.
Burns was Crues captain and, ultimately, their match winner on Friday night when they staged a comeback win over Cliftonville to book their spot in next month’s Irish Cup final. Although Joe Gormley had given the Reds an early lead at Windsor Park, a Luke McNicholas own goal and a scrappy finish from Burns had the Shore Road men in front by half-time. And a fine defensive display in the second-half saw Crusaders over the line.
In his time between Linfield and Crusaders, Burns has six Danske Bank Premiership titles and four Irish Cup wins to his name, the last Cup success coming with the Crues in 2019, but the former Player of the Year insists he is just as excited this time around.
"It's been a tough couple of years for the club, we have been down and written off a few times now," Burns said after Friday night’s victory.
"We get criticised a lot and we get overlooked, but the boys in the changing room deserve the Cup final for the hard work we do all year round. I think we have played really well this season.
"I'm getting to the stage of my career where I can't take these things for granted any more, so you have to enjoy every big game or cup final you get to because it could very easily be your last one."
For large parts of this season, Crusaders have been lost in the pack as a thrilling Irish League title race involving Cliftonville, Glentoran and Linfield works it way towards a conclusion, but Burns is adamant Crusaders have never lost faith in their own ability.
"We know our own strengths. We know that getting the ball into the box is what we are very, very good at,” he added.
"There is no point in saying anything else and, the minute we started doing that, is the minute we started getting on top of the game. Big Lecks [striker Adam Lecky] or whoever it is we have up front are a handful to mark.
"We put two or three balls into the box and it looked like we could have scored any time we did. Thankfully, we got the two and that is all we needed in the end.
"It was very, very tough. Cliftonville were throwing everyone on and it seemed like they had five or six forwards and runners coming from everywhere."
Crusaders are due to play either Ballymena United or Newry City in the Irish Cup final, with the other semi-final down for decision on April 13 after Glentoran lost their appeal at being kicked out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player.
However, over the weekend Glens boss Mick McDermott indicated that the east Belfast club intended to keep fighting their dismissal, raising the prospect of a legal challenge which may delay the second semi-final even further.
