IT may be too soon for Clarets fans to be booking hotel rooms in Cardiff on May 17 but, after last night's 3-0 demolition of Premiership Fulham, they are entitled to at least clear their diaries.

Having out-played, out-thought and out-fought the Cottagers, Burnley will be heading to Watford a week on Sunday with a place in the semi-finals at stake.

It may be the least attractive of the four quarter-finals but the prize will be the same as that played for at Highbury, Bramall Lane and the St Mary's Stadium.

Watford boss Ray Lewington will have been the most interested spectator last night and he was left in no doubt that this Burnley side is up for the Cup.

According to Fulham boss Jean Tigana, they were too up for it.

The Frenchman, who had Sean Davis dismissed for a horror tackle on the excellent Tony Grant, believed the Clarets were trying to "break" Luis Boa Morte in the opening minutes.

There was no doubt that he was the only Fulham player to cause any anxiety to the Burnley back line

His opposite number Stan Ternent was rightly unimpressed by the moans as he praised his side for their competitive spirit. He did not want to get involved in a slanging match and didn't have to, his side had won all the arguments on the pitch.

Listening to Tigana talk you might have thought that Burnley had kicked their way to Cup glory. Far from it.

Three well worked goals and a defensive display that gave Marlon Beresford an armchair ride through the match allowed Burnley to coast to victory in the second half, conserving energy for Saturday's match at Stoke.

Much had been made of Fulham's exertions in a London derby just 48 hours earlier but these highly paid professionals can have no excuse for being put firmly in their place.

One team wanted to win, one team deserved to win and that team was Burnley.

In fairness it took the Clarets 27 minutes to get an effort on target but when they did, they took the lead. Gareth Taylor's goal was a reward for their positive start to the game and it was a beautifully worked goal.

Grant's precise pass to Dean West allowed the full back to get in a cross that was cleared no further than the midfielder who started the move. He swung a cross into the box that bounced over Lee Briscoe but allowed Taylor to nod home, unchallenged, from close range.

It was the striker's 12th goal of the season and the perfect ate birthday present having turned 30 the day before.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 with Ian Moore moving into double figures for the season and, like Taylor, netting for the second successive game.

Once again it was a nicely worked effort with West involved, knocking a ball over John Harley and allowing Moore to use his pace to get to the ball before the on-rushing Maik Taylor and coolly lob the ball into the net.

That goal came with Boa Morte lying down by the Fulham bench getting treatment on an injury and he was replaced by Facundo Sava seconds later. But the player who has had a hamstring injury did not appear to have been kicked out of the match.

In contrast that was very nearly the fate for Grant just after half time. Sean Davis had barely had a kick in the middle of the park and perhaps that explains why he launched himself at the Burnley man and produced a scissor kick that was in danger of breaking his leg.

The Burnley players were incensed, the linesman had no hesitation in advising referee Phil Dowd of the type of tackle it was and Davis was rightly shown red.

Fulham already looked a beaten side and when Drissa Diallo rose to head home Grant's corner in the 52nd minute it really was game over.

The defender clearly felt he had to score a goal to show that he is not just a top class defender who is gradually forming a brilliant partnership with Ian Cox. The pair came together in the wake of the disastrous 5-2 home defeat by Reading and in the four games they have played together the Clarets have conceded just one goal, the superb equaliser by Steed Malbranque at Loftus Road.

But the Frenchman, such a threat in the first game, was anonymous last night along with other "stars" such as Louis Saha and Sylvain Legwinski.

In fact the only time that Saha caught the eye was when he allowed Diallo a free header to make it 3-0. As for sub Sava, the only time he was likely to need his mask was to hide his embarrassment as he sloped onto the team bus.

The Clarets have now played four matches against Premiership sides with two wins, a draw and the defeat by Manchester United and they are getting a real taste for the high life.

No one enjoys it more than Graham Branch who once again shone with a couple of outstanding tackles on Sava as well as surges up field.

As for Fulham, their run without a win at Burnley stretches back 52 years and now stands at 26 matches. They are still looking for a ground to share but it is a safe bet that Turf Moor is not on their wish list.

If they did they may never win at home again!

BURNLEY 3

Scorers: Taylor 27, I Moore 35, Diallo 52

FULHAM 0

At Turf Moor Att: 11,635