Glentoran made their way to a first BetMcLean Cup final appearance in 15 years with victories over Dergview, Linfield, Ballymena United and Crusaders.

Dergview were first up, back in October, when they visited the BetMcLean Oval in the Second Round back in the October.

The Glens moved in front after nine minutes when Charlie Lindsay sent a composed finish past keeper Dylan Doherty after connecting with Daniel Amos' pass.

Despite a number of close calls that was how it stayed until right at the end. Dergview thought they had levelled on 89 minutes when Dale Maxwell scrambled the ball home at the right post but this was ruled out by the officials.

But Glentoran made sure of their place in the next round moments after that when David Fisher ran onto a Fuad Sule punt forward to knock the ball home from inside the area.

The Third Round brought a short hop across the city for the Glens with a visit to Windsor Park to take on outgoing holders Linfield.

Scoreless at the break, chances were at a premium in the first half with Kirk Millar perhaps coming closest for the Blues with a 25-yard drive from Chris McKee's lay-off but the effort didn't trouble Daniel Gyollai.

At the other end Dylan Connolly picked out David Fisher only for Chris Johns to prove equal to the threat.

The second half started much brighter as Joel Cooper found space on the edge of the box to send a low shot just wide of the post while, for the Glens, Jay Donnelly volleyed narrowly wide from a Marcus Kane flick.

Play switched again a short time later with Cooper testing Gyollai from close range only for the keeper to get a hand to turn the ball behind, and the same thing happened again deeper into the game as Gyollai threatened Cooper at the near post.

However, despite Linfield creating the clearer chances, they were rocked with three minutes remaining when Douglas bagged what proved to be Glentoran's winner after his deflected effort from Ben Hall's attempted clearance wrong-footed Johns and ended up in the back of the net.

Declan Devine's side then booked a place in semi-finals with a two-goal home defeat of Ballymena United.

The Glens came closest in the scoreless first half when, on 37 minutes, when Daniel Amos had a go with a curling right-foot effort against the angle of crossbar and post from the edge of the area.

United keeper Sean O'Neill was also called into action a little later in the half to deny Cammy Palmer as the home side enjoyed the majority of possession, albeit with nothing to show for it.

Ballymena looked a better proposition during the early stages of the second half as Joe Moore volleyed just wide from 20 yards with another similar effort not long after that meeting a similar fate.

However the deadlock was broken on 69 minutes in favour of the home side when Jordan Jenkins unleashed a terrific effort from outside the area past O'Neill into the bottom corner.

And the game was effectively killed off as a contest with around five minutes remaining after David Fisher made the most of a defensive slip up to blast Glentoran's second of the evening past O'Neill.

Glentoran hosted Crusaders in the last four on January 14th.

The Glens raced into an early lead when, after 12 minutes, Jordan Jenkins converted from the spot after Jacob Blaney was penalised for bringing down Dylan Connolly as he burst into the area.

Jenkins then doubled up for Glentoran with just under ten minutes of the first half remaining after cutting inside from the right before unleashing a terrific strike past keeper Jonny Tuffey.

Crusaders came out after the break on the front foot, and levelled just short of the hour mark when Stewart Nixon pounced on a loose ball from a throw-in to direct it into the bottom corner.

Then, on 76 minutes, Kieran Offord levelled for the Crues with a close range finish beyond David Gyollai after cutting in from the tightest of angles.

Jay Donnelly had a chance to seal it for Glentoran late on when he rose highest to meet a Daniel Amos corner but his header failed to find the target.

But two goals in the second period of extra-time eventually secured a place in the decider for the Glens.

Kodi Lyons-Foster edged Declan Devine's side in front on 115 minutes when, from another Amos set piece, he got the final touch to divert the ball past Tuffey.

And Donnelly made sure in the closing moments after racing clear of the defence - as the Crues all pushed forward for a corner - to knock the ball into an unguarded net.