Billy Joe Burns bags superb late strike as Crusaders seal European progress

The North Belfast boys swatted away the challenge of Bruno’s Magpies at home by 3-1 to claim their big prize off a 4-3 aggregate triumph.

It took a wonder strike from defender Billy Joe Burns to ensure the Crues progressed – and make it one European night to remember on the Shore Road.

Paul Heatley and Jude Winchester were also on the mark for the Crues, while Kyle Casciaro kept the Magpies in the hunt by scoring in the first half.

The Crues approached the game 2-1 in arrears from the first leg in the heat of Gibraltar last week, but they finished the job with a certain degree of panache.

Not only do they now face Basel – a team accustomed to the group stages of the Champions League – but their prize money will be enhanced considerably.

The Crues went for the jugular right from the off.

Heatley had a close-range attempt blocked by the outstretched boot of Ruben Diaz before Daniel Larmour’s bullet header flashed inches wide.

Ben Kennedy then tried his luck with an audacious effort from the edge of the box that curled just over the top.

After soaking up all the early pressure, Magpies almost silenced the big home crowd when Juan Pablo Pereira Sastre’s header brought a marvellous response from Jonny Tuffey.

Crusaders broke the deadlock on 33 minutes.

Burns burst into the box on the right only to see his fierce shot saved by Matthew Silva.

When the ball broke to the big defender his diving header was again repelled, but Heatley was on hand to ram home.

But their lead lasted merely four minutes.

Pereria Sastre caught the Crues napping at the back and, after a lightning 20-yard dash and with only Tuffey to beat, he squared the ball to Casciaro to tap into the empty net.

The visitors were happy to take the pace out of the game, wasting time at every opportunity.

Crusaders threatened again on 66 minutes when Kennedy fired in a stinging left-footed drive that Silva managed to shovel away at the near post.

And Kennedy was right out of luck again when he looped a shot on the turn, which inched past the post.

The Crues got the goal they craved with 10 minutes remaining.

Johnny McMurray – only on the pitch for two minutes along with Winchester – showed great tenacity on the right before finding the former Ballymena United man, who blasted the ball high into the net.

And the home team struck again three minutes into time added on.

Jarlath O’Rourke’s cross found Burns at the back post and his rasping volley almost ripped out the netting to send the ground into raptures.

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns, Hegarty, Lowry (Winchester, 78), Kennedy, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Owens (Lecky, 46), Larmour, Heatley, Clarke (McMurray, 78).

Subs (not used): Pauley, Weir, Ebbe, McKeown, Barr, Morrow.

BRUNO’s MAGPIES: Silva, Ayew, L.Coombes (Bernardes, 95), Diaz, Zuniga Gill, J.Coombes (Gonzalez Casado, 73), Casciaro (Morgan, 85), Bent, Pedrosa Gilan (Casares Garcia, 95), Pereira Sastre, Bayode.

Subs (not used): Zamora, De Haro, Peacock, Ronco, Parker.

REFEREE: Hamalainen Kaario Oskari (Finland)

Cliftonville and Larne were also on duty across last night’s Europa Conference League programme - but both clubs suffered exits.

Larne played host to St Joseph’s of Gibraltar off a scoreless away leg.

A red card for Mark Randall in the closing stages was followed by a second blow soon after off Julian Valarino’s decisive finish.

A Lee Bonis goal was ruled out for the hosts and Larne were also frustrated by a penalty appeal waved away.

At Solitude, Cliftonville suffered a 5-1 exit on aggregate.

Dominik Veselovsky kicked off the scoring before Nikola Krstovic fired in a double as DAC of Slovakia managed to build on the 2-1 first leg with a 3-0 success in Belfast.

Joe Gormley had a goal wiped out for offside.