Fallin suffer after penalty heartache
Amateur glory is denied by Tower Hearts keeper
Stirling and District AFA Premier Division Braehead 1-3 Alva.
First Division - Campsie v Linlithgow Rose (home win, walkover).
Caledonian League President’s Cup - Milton 1-5 Thorn Athletic.
Central Scottish AFL Premier Division - St Patrick’s 5-0 Bannockburn; Uddingston Anvil 1-6 Fallin.
Monday, May 30
Central Scottish AFL Premier Division - Gartcosh United v Fallin.
FALLIN .......................................... 1 TOWER HEARTS ......................... 1
(TOWER HEARTS WIN 4-2 ON PENALTIES)
When Tower Hearts goalscorer David Quinn struck his penalty wide, Fallin’s supporters in the 1000-plus crowd almost lifted the roof off Hampden.
The Scottish Amateur Cup final had gone to extra-time after both teams finished at 1-1 - and Quinn’s miss had Central Scottish AFL side in pole position.
But Shettleston-based Tower had a hero in keeper Graeme Milne, who saved successive spot kicks from Stephen Donaghy and Matthew Cooper. And when Duncan Wilson stepped up to slot the ball home, the famous old trophy would make the short journey to the East End of Glasgow rather than the mining village of Fallin.
Over the 120 minutes, Fallin will feel they might have done enough to win. Wingers Donaghy and Joe Mcguckin tormented the Tower defence throughout while Allan Eastwood, Alastair Brown and Michael Weir marshalled things from midfield.
Fallin had most of the early play and it was against the run of play when Tower took the lead. Colin Brannan misjudged a tackle on Luke Mccall in the penalty area and referee Nicolle Andrews (Ayrshire), the first female official to referee the final, pointed to the spot. David Quinn stepped up to lash the ball past Michael Watson.
The goal stunned Fallin and Tower striker Jordan Davidson spurned a couple of chances to add to the lead before the break while a Kevin Fraser free-kick came off the crossbar with Watson beaten.
The Stirlingshire side hit back early in the second half when Donaghy was on hand to head home a cross from Kyle Imrie - but a winner looked unlikely to come in regulation time until Donaghy skied over from the edge of the box with no-one near him and the keeper to beat.
Extra-time came and went and the busiest person at Hampden was the Tower physio who was on the pitch a number of times as players went down with cramp. The Glasgow side, however, managed to hold on before going on to take the trophy on penalties.
Fallin: Watson, Brannan, Cooper, S Henderson (Mcmeechan), Mcgown, Weir, Donaghy, Brown, Imrie (K Henderson), Eastwood (Mochan) and Mcguckin. Subs not used Mclaughlin and Green.