Macron Scottish Junior Cup Second Round

ST ANTHONY'S 0

IRVINE MEADOW 3

RELIEVED boss Brian McGinty hailed rejuvenated striker Aaron Connolly after his double helped end a horror run of five straight defeats.

This game has been tipped as a potential banana skin, but Meadow battled through to the second round with very few problems.

The visitors scored in half-time injury-time when Jordan McGuire set up recent signing Darren Jones to bag his first goal for the club.

Just after the break the Ants had a good chance, however Shaun Newman made a great save.

However in 64 minutes Jones set up Connolly for a good composed finish.

The impressive Connolly then sent a superb lob over the goalie and it looked like game over.

Meadow were reduced to 10 men when Rhys Devlin was given a second yellow card.

However they held on to win comfortably.

McGinty said: "Hopefully this will give us a big confidence boost. The boys went up there and did a really professional job. I was pleased for Aaron getting a couple of goals, he has come back well from injury. Now hopefully we can kick on from here. We have an important league match at home to Kilwinning, who are off the back of a great result in the Scottish Cup. I know their boss Chris Strain well and we will be looking for a point or three points."

IRVINE MEADOW: Newman; Latta, Willet, Gow, Devlin, Spence, Pearson, Carson, Jones, McGuire, Smith.