The game's only goal arrived on 88 minute when Morrissey found space at the back post to head home from fellow substitute Adam Rundle’s deep cross following Danny Murphy’s short corner.

While Cork fielded the same eleven which beat Irish League leaders Cliftonville 4-0 in the home leg of the last round, Belfast side Crusaders were without six suspended players from their run to winning the competition last May.

Though midfielders Ian Turner and Gearoid Morrissey both worked Crusaders' keeper Yohann Lacroix, Cork failed to make their possession pay in a dominant first half.

Cork keeper Mark McNulty redeemed an error to make a good save from David McMaster early in the second half before Cork resumed the upper hand late on. Winger Daryl Horgan and Turner came close before Morrissey broke the deadlock two minutes from the end of normal time.