Ardagh Glass League Cup Semi-Final

IRVINE VICTORIA 0

AUCHINLECK TALBOT 1

VALIANT Vics battled hard against a strong Talbot side but just lost out in a tight contest last Wednesday.

The home side gave a fine account of themselves against last season's Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup winners but just came up short.

However this performance suggests the home side will justify their tag as one of the District League title favourites while the visitors could challenge for the top honours.

Stevie Wilson's men went toe-to-toe with Talbot and limited them to just a handful of chances in front of a bumper crowd.

With fans still queuing to get in, proceedings got underway. And Talbot went ahead with the first action of the match in the opening minute as a cross into the box was not dealt with by the home defence and former Kilwinning Rangers man Calvin Kemp proceeded to knock the ball home from six yards.

Five minutes later at the other end Eddie Ablorh set up Callum Davidson and he found Sean Mears to send a shot over the bar from 10 yards.

Then in 11 minutes a strong effort from Kevin Adam was pushed on to the crossbar and down on to the line by visiting goalie Andy Leishman.

At the other end five minutes later Klark Thomson shot across the face of goal and a minute later Craig McCracken saw his shot from 10 yards well saved by Chris Lamb.

In 21 minutes visiting defender Ross Harvey was booked for a careless challenge on Kevin Adam which saw blood seeping from a head wound, with the striker bandaged up briefly and bravely carrying on before being taken off.

Two minutes later Kemp shot across the face of goal as Talbot sought a killer second goal. The same player shot just over the top from 25 yards in 29 minutes. As Tommy Sloan's team kept up the pressure, Mark Shankland shot inches over the bar from 12 yards in 32 minutes. Nine minutes later a Sean McIlroy effort went the same way.

Into the second half and two minutes in Ablorh shot over the bar from 12 yards.

Talbot were awarded a free-kick in 52 minutes when Shankland was tripped on the edge of the box. But Gordon Pope sent the effort over the bar from 20 yards.

Ablorh saw his 20-yard effort well saved by Leishman in 62 minutes.

Pope netted from eight yards in 82 minutes, but the "goal" was chalked off for offside. Two minutes from time Liam Weir shot across the face of goal from close range as Talbot held on to win.

IRVINE VICTORIA: Lamb; Bonner, Young, McNab, Craig, Davidson, Mears, Singleton, Adam, Ablorh, Hamilton. Subs: Wilson, Burt, Adams, Hollis.

AUCHINLECK TALBOT: Leishman; Weir, Pope, Harvey, McCracken, Whyte, Hyslop, Thomson, McIlroy, Shankland, Kemp. Subs: G Wilson, Glasgow, Pooler, Pettigrew, Armstrong.