Cliftonville take one step closer to ending 45-year wait for Irish Cup glory with quarter-final victory over Portadown

While Jim Magilton’s men have scored more than any other Irish League outfit this season (70), it was a second-half Luke Wilson own goal that gave the Reds their breakthrough as the centre-back turned Sean Stewart’s dangerous cross past goalkeeper Aaron Hogg before Sam Ashford dealt a late hammer blow.

The Solitude outfit have reached four finals since last tasting competition success in 1979 – when they defeated Portadown in the showpiece decider at Windsor Park – and they'll be hoping this season is their time to halt over four decades of hurt.

Niall Currie’s side fought bravely, hitting the post and also had an equaliser ruled out for offside, but ultimately fell to a first cup loss of the season ahead of next Sunday’s BetMcLean Cup final date with Linfield.

Ronan Hale made a bright start for the visitors and weaved his way into the box before a timely Portadown intervention stopped the Reds attacker, who scored a hat-trick in their fifth round success over Coleraine, getting his shot away.

Magilton’s side, looking to bounce back from two consecutive Premiership defeats, had their biggest opportunity of the first-half in the 13th minute when Ronan Doherty broke from a free-kick, fed the ball into Ashford’s path and the striker fired his effort back off Hogg’s post – the returning Rory Hale unable to make the most of the rebound.

It was almost the exact same situation at the other end 10 minutes later as a neat pass from Paul McElroy, making a first start since October, sent Eamon Fyfe through and the Coleraine loanee watched on as his shot came off the woodwork.

Shamrock Park held its collective breath soon after as Reds goalkeeper David Odumosu flew off his line to clear a Portadown through ball, but it fell to Aaron Traynor on the halfway line and his attempt ultimately sailed over the crossbar, but it looked menacing for a time.

Currie’s men were taking it to their top-flight opponents and almost made Jonny Addis pay for a lapse of concentration when Eoghan McCawl nipped in to take the ball before feeding Zach Barr, who unleashed from the edge of the box with Odomosu tipping around the post.

Hogg, only starting because of an injury to Gareth Buchanan in the warm-up, was called into action on the stroke of half-time to deny Ronan Hale’s lobbed attempt after a long ball popped up off the surface into his path.

The first big chance of the second-half fell to Cliftonville as Kris Lowe whipped in a delivery which Ashford couldn’t direct towards goal from close range.

Ronan Hale then fired a spectacular effort from distance off the crossbar moments before Chris Rodgers, who was making his first start since November following a knee injury – which Currie initially feared could rule him out for the season – was forced off after pulling up.

Cliftonville did find an opener in the 64th minute as the unfortunate Wilson struck past his own goalkeeper and that sparked the Ports into a double change with talisman Ryan Mayse and Jamie Browne replacing Barr and McElroy.

Portadown thought they’d found an equaliser eight minutes later as Fyfe tapped in from Traynor’s cross after the defender had done well to win back possession, but the linesman flagged for offside.

Ashford then secured Cliftonville progression, converting Rory Hale’s cross, as the Reds await to see who will join them in the last-four.