MYNEWFORD FOCUSINCUP

ALLAN JENKINS sat in the Hampden stands as his Gretna team-mates went within a penalty of creating the greatest Scottish Cup Final fairytale of all time.

The eyes of the football world were on the tiny Borderers who had risen to this stage from Unibond League in just four years.

It was the things dreams were made of.

But Jenkins admits he never enjoyed a second of that day in the Mount Florida sun as his side took Hearts to spot-kicks before losing in the cruellest of fashions.

He was cup-tied after featuring in the early rounds for Stranraer ahead of his move to join Brooks Mileson’s doomed revolution at Gretna.

Watching his team-mates run out in front of 50,000 at the National Stadium and knowing he couldn’t play a part left an empty feeling in the midfielder’s gut.

The 36-year-old, who also played for Morton and Ballymena, went on to win three cup finals in Ireland JUNIORS before returning to Scotland with Hurlford last summer.

And now, 12 years later, he finally has the chance to bury his cup frustrations thanks to the junior version of the trophy.

Jenkins and his side are in the driving seat to clinch a Junior Cup Final spot after last week’s 1-0 semi-final first-leg victory at Wishaw.

And today’s second leg at Blair Park can’t come quickly enough for him.

He said: “That was a strange day for me.

“I just sat with my mum and dad among the Gretna fans during the game and I never enjoyed it at all.

“Gretna beat Dundee and St Johnstone on the way to Hampden and it was an incredible story.

“But it’s not a day I look back on too fondly.

“Thankfully I managed to have some success in finals when I moved to Ballymena United and with a bit of luck there could be more with Hurlford.”