Billy Joe Burns delighted with Jonny Tuffey's Irish Cup redemption

Billy Joe Burns hailed the contribution of goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey as Crusaders secured their place in next month’s Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup final at the expense of Cliftonville.
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Joe Gormley had shot the Reds in front early before Ross Clarke levelled things up and Burns bundled home a second before half-time.

But the defender was quick to heap praise on his keeper, who stood tall in the closing stages pulling off a superb save to deny Paul O’Neill what seemed a certain goal.

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Burns said it was just rewards for Tuffey who suffered Irish Cup heartache at the same stage last season after being sent off on the penalty shootout defeat to Larne.

Jonny Tuffey celebrates at the final whistleJonny Tuffey celebrates at the final whistle
Jonny Tuffey celebrates at the final whistle

“We don’t really talk about it as you can’t keep looking back on the past, but we were due a bit of fortune and good luck,” said the defender.

“We got that and it’s just good to be in a final again.

“Tonight is maybe a wee bit of justice for the team and Jonny personally.

“He has been magnificent for us all year and has got better and better as the season has gone on.

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“It was a tough, tough game, everyone knows Cliftonville are flying this year.

“It was a slow start, but we knew if we kept digging in and working hard it would pay off and thankfully it did.

“Big credit has to go to Jonny, the last ten minutes he was coming and catching the ball from everything, and that makes a big difference to the back four.”

Burns is now looking forward to his fifth Irish Cup final and he was more than happy to claim what turned out to be the winning goal.

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“I just saw the ball coming in and it hit the back of my heel and went in...it’s definitely my goal,” he said with a big smile.

“We know our own strengths. We know that getting the ball into the box is what we’re very good at.

“When we started doing that is when we started getting on top in the game.

“Whoever is up there for us is a handful to mark. We put two or three balls into the box and it looked like we could have discord any time we did.

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“Thankfully we got the two and that’s all we needed in the end.

“I’m getting to the stage in my career where I can’t take these for granted any more.

“Every big game/cup final you get to you have to enjoy it as it could very easily be your last one.

“It was tough when Cliftonville started throwing everyone on, it seemed like they had five or six forwards and they had runners coming from everywhere.

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“In the back four we had Jordy, who’s usually a midfielder, who was outstanding, and the boys who came off the bench - Hegs and Jarly O’Rourke - came on and didn’t skip a beat.

“That’s why we have big squads, they came in and were excellent.

“Robbie Weir was sitting in front of us doing an excellent job, like he has done all year. He was Man of the Match and that shows you his quality.”

“It’s been a tough couple of years for the club, we’ve been down and written off a few times.

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“I think we’re actually underperforming a bit in the league, if we had a bit more consistency we’d be up there challenging.

“We’ve thrown away some silly points...we know we can be better and we have played really well this season.

“We get criticised a lot and get overlooked, but with the hard work we put in all season we definitely deserve to get to the cup final.

“We were due a bit of luck, I’m not saying what we got today was luck as it was hard work and determination.

“But over the last few years there have been a few dodgy calls, penalties and whatever else.

“As I say this year we really deserved it.”