IRISH CUP: Linfield breeze past Armagh and set up last eight tie with Cliftonville

Linfield 7 Armagh City 0
Linfield's Guy Bates with Armagh's Ultan LennonLinfield's Guy Bates with Armagh's Ultan Lennon
Linfield's Guy Bates with Armagh's Ultan Lennon

Andy Waterworth bagged four goals against ailing Championship One side Armagh City to ease Linfield into the quarter finals of the Tennent’s Irish Cup.

Aaron Burns also hit a glorious double before new signing Stephen Fallon scored his first goal for the club.

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Wanting to avoid a possible cup shock, Linfield boss David Healy named two changes to the team that demolished Dungannon Swifts in midweek, drafting in midfield pair David Kee and Aaron Burns for Sean Ward and Ross Gaynor, who both had to settle for a place on the bench.

New signing Michael McLellan, who opened his goal account against the Swifts, wasn’t in the squad has he appeared in an earlier round of the cup for his former club H&W Welders.

Armagh boss Marty Rice handed new signing from Dungannon, PJ Lavery -- he played over 50 games for the Stangmore Park, side -- a starting shirt.

The Blues were in front on 11 minutes, with Waterworth hitting up his 25th goal of the season. When Matthew Clarke cut the ball back, there was only ever going to be one outcome.

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And, it was two on 28 minutes when Jamie Mulgrew sent Waterworth clear on the left and, after a blistering solo dash, he rolled his shot past the vetaran goalkeper John Connolly.

Linfield really could have been out of sight before the break. Live wire Paul Smyth looked on in frustrating after watching Connolly produced two wonder saves to prevent him piling on the agony.

Burns made three 60 seconds after the interval, tapping home a Kirk Millar cross at the back post.

Waterworth grabbing his hat-trick on 63 minutes, blasting home another Millar assist

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Burns then waltzed past the United defence to lay on Waterworth’s fourth three minutes later before Mulgrew and substitute Guy Bates set up an easy chance for Burns, who walked the ball into the net on 76 minutes.

Substitute Fallon headed his first goal for the club in the last minute.

Linfield: Ross Glendinnig, Stafford (Ward 57), Callacher, Waterworth (Fallon 67), Millar, Burns, Clarke, Kee, Mulgrew, Reece Glendinning, Smyth (Bates 46).

Subs not used: Quinn, Gaynor.

Armagh City: Connolly, McAnallen (Grimley 73), McGerrigan (Carvill 59), Lennon, Noonan, Kelly, P Lavery, Bell, S Lavery, Donnelly, McGerrigan (Mallon 80).

Subs not used: Campbell, Morgan.

Referee: S Taylor (Belfast).