Larne and Cliftonville through to cup semi-finals

Matty Lusty (left) notched a hat-trick as Larne overcame Annagh United

Larne and Cliftonville progressed to the semi-finals of the BetMcLean Cup with comfortable wins over Championship opposition on Wednesday night.

Matty Lusty scored a hat-trick as Larne defeated Annagh United 5-0 at the BMG Arena while Cliftonville ran out 3-0 victors over Armagh City with second-half goals from Ryan Curran, Rory Hale and teenager Coran Madden at Holm Park.

Leroy Millar marked his long-awaited return from injury with Larne's fourth goal.

The two Premiership sides join Crusaders in the last four, Declan Caddell's side having seen off Dungannon Swifts 4-2 after extra-time in their quarter-final at Seaview on Tuesday.

Ballymena United and Glentoran will contest the final last-eight tie at the Showgrounds on 17 January, after the Glens saw off Linfield 1-0 at Windsor Park in their last 16 tie.

Larne took the lead in their game midway through the first half when Lusty drilled a drive into the corner of the net from the edge of the box after home goalkeeper Jason Craughwell punched away a corner.

The visitors doubled their lead two minutes after the break as Benji Magee's pull back from the right-hand side found the net with the help of a deflection from a home defender.

Lusty completed his double in the 50th minute after Mark Randall played a ball into the box which he controlled, before rifling a volley into the corner.

Millar then got his name on the scoresheet soon after being introduced as a substitute, the former Ballymena player getting on the end of Tomas Cosgrove's pull back from the right and making no mistake with his finish. Lusty completed his treble by adding his side's fifth.

After a goal-less first half at Holm Park, Curran out Cliftonville in front early in the second half and then Hale doubles his side's advantage as he found the bottom corner after good work by Michael Glynn.

Teenager Madden scored the Reds' third at the end after good work by Jack Berry.