Irish Cup: Reds, Swifts and Coleraine through to Irish Cup semi-finals

Loughgall was quick out of the blocks and almost left the visitors cold when Rory Hill gifted the ball to Scott McCann, and the playmaker picked out Kirk McLaughlin’s run, but the striker’s low shot was comfortably saved by PJ Morrison.

Despite this early pressure, Cliftonville scored first when Adebayo Fabito passed the ball to Hawthorn on the edge of the box, and the midfielder calmly curled a shot into the far corner beyond a helpless Ross Glendinning.

The Villagers almost responded within minutes when Paul McIlroy showed quick feet with a backheel into Darragh Stewart’s path, but with only Morrison to beat, the striker opted for power and fired over the bar.

The Reds doubled their advantage shortly after the half-hour mark when Leppard rose high at the near post to slot Michael Glenn’s corner past substitute Berat Turker for his second goal in successive matches.

After the restart, Jim Magilton’s men pressed forward with Hill sending a cross to the back post, where Hawthorn connected from close range, but James Carroll was alert to hack the ball wide of the goal line.

Loughall should have pulled one back when McCann robbed Josh Kelly and immediately fed McLaughlin, whose powerful shot ricocheted off the near post.

The visitors eventually made it three when Fabito played a brilliant through ball into McStravik’s path, and although Turker cleared the winger’s first low effort, the winger reacted quicker to convert the rebound.