LINFIELD completed their sixth double in seven years with an emphatic JJB Sports Irish Cup final victory over Crusaders at Windsor Park.

After a somewhat edgy opening the first moment of promise came on nine minutes when Damian Curran delivered a left-foot cross which Crues 'keeper Sean O'Neill pushed away for a corner.

Not long after Mark McAllister beat Stephen McBride to force the ball into the penalty area but Stephen Lowry failed to make the most of his subsequent pass under pressure from Gareth McKeown.

And, as Linfield continued to push forward, Winkie Murphy saw a header from a Curran free-kick hacked away by the Crues defence.

At the other end, on 16 minutes, Chris Morrow, after a one-two with Timmy Adamson, found a way through just outside the area but he pulled his shot well wide of the target.

Crusaders perhaps came closest on 27 minutes when Colin Coates got his end to a corner to knock the ball on for Adamson who just couldn't find the touch to turn it home at the post.

But almost straightaway Linfield took the lead when McAllister finished off a Michael Carvill ball into the box which passed through the legs of Peter Thompson.

The Crues might have levelled ten minutes later after Adamson received the ball from McBride to battle his way past Murphy into the area only to fire straight at Alan Blayney.

However Linfield doubled their advantage four minutes before half-time following a Mulgrew run down the flank before cutting it back for McAllister to stab home his second despite Sean O'Neill initially getting a hand to the ball.

As might have been expected Crusaders came storming out of the blocks after the break with skipper Coates hooking the ball just over right in front of goal on 46 minutes.

The Northern Ireland international went one better ten minutes later when his free-kick from around 25 yards took a deflection off Garrett and over Blayney.

It only took Linfield four minutes to restore their two-goal cushion, however, in similar fashion in front of the Kop when Carvill delivered a superb strike into the top left corner.

Not to be downhearted, Crusaders almost stormed back immediately when Blayney was forced to dash out to block Jordan Owens before the same player was denied only by an Albert Watson header at the post.

The game was over as a contest with seven minutes remaining after Mulgrew tucked away Linfield's fourth from inside the area after substitute Chris Casement knocked the ball back from the touchline.

Crusaders: O'Neill, McKeown, McBride, Magowan, Coates, Morrow, Adamson, Rainey, Caddell, Dallas, McMaster subs Leeman (replaced McKeown 46), Gargan (not used), Watson (replaced McBride 81), Owens (replaced McMaster 46), Snoddy (not used)

Linfield: Blayney, Murphy, Curran, Lowry, Thompson, Carvill, Garrett, Ervin, Mulgrew, Watson, McAllister subs B.J. Burns (replaced Mulgrew 89), Fordyce (replaced McAllister 90+2), Browne (not used), Addis (not used), Casement (replaced Garrett 71)

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• Robert Garrett and Stuart Dallas (Picture: William Cherry/PressEye.com)