Alex Parsons’ brilliant strike proved decisive as Irish Cup holders Cliftonville extended the defence of the trophy into the semi-final stages at the expense of derby rivals Crusaders.

Harry Franklin’s header offered hosts Crusaders hope of a fightback from 2-0 but Cliftonville, having opened the scoring off Ryan Curran, managed to protect the advantage.

F-T: Crusaders 1 Cliftonville 2

92: SUB (Cliftonville) – Gormley for Parsons

placeholder image — Alex Parsons fires home to help Cliftonville secure Irish Cup success over Crusaders. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

91: SUB (Crusaders) - King for Blaney

88: SUB (Cliftonville) – Piesold for Hale and Glynn for Casey

84: Larmour meets a Clarke free-kick but, under pressure, he’s unable to gain any significant power

83: Lowry header clears the crossbar

82: Brilliant diving save by Ridd to push away Larmour's glancing header off a teasing in-swinging Clarke cross

81: SUB (Crusaders) – O’Connor for Jewitt-White

78: YELLOW (Crusaders) – Jewitt-White

73: O'Rourke and Franklin combine around the Cliftonville penalty area but the latter's shot lacks the power to trouble Ridd

70: YELLOW (Crusaders) – Forsythe

69: Two quickfire sights of goal for the visitors – with Tuffey saving off Curran’s near-post drive from a tight angle and Parsons’ ambitious effort from outside the area

68: Addis' attempted clearance is met by Stewart but the effort proves off-target

64: Crusaders on the attack in search of an equaliser and the ball drops to Clarke but his off-balance shot from inside the box drifts wide

62: GOAL – Crusaders 1 (Franklin) Cliftonville 2

Franklin with the close-range finish off a header to cap the best move of the tie – and Crusaders’ first significant piece of attacking play in the quarter-final

56: GOAL – Crusaders 0 Cliftonville 2 (Parsons)

Parsons’ clever turn allows space to attack down the inside-left channel and he fires home a superb curling angled drive into the top corner

48: O’Rourke’s corner-kick delivery met by Stewart but the header cannot test Ridd

46: Stewart with a near-post shot but Ridd in a perfect position to stop

H-T: Crusaders 0 Cliftonville 1

38: GOAL - Crusaders 0 Cliftonville 1 (Curran)

Hale's free-kick finds Addis and the centre-back creates time and space in the penalty area to pick out Curran, with a delicate header beyond the reach of Tuffey

7: Cliftonville lapse at the back leads to a penalty shout for a foul on O'Rourke but play continues and Stewart's follow-up shot is saved

CRUSADERS: Jonny Tuffey, Jimmy Callacher, Philip Lowry, Harry Jewitt-White, Jordan Stewart, Jacob Blaney, Jordan Forsythe, Jarlath O’Rourke, Daniel Larmour, Ross Clarke, Harry Franklin.

Subs: Rian Brown, Robbie Weir, Josh Williamson, Malachy Smith, Josh O’Connor, Alexander King, Lewis Barr.

CLIFTONVILLE: Lewis Ridd, Jonny Addis, Shea Kearney, Rory Hale, Ryan Curran, Luke Conlan, Shea Gordon, Odhran Casey, Jack Keaney, Harry Wilson, Alex Parsons.

Subs: David Odumosu, Conor Pepper, Axel Piesold, Joe Gormley, Micheal Glynn, Eric Lemond McWoods, Ryan Corrigan.

Referee: Jamie Robinson.