The 2018–19 Scottish Junior Cup was the 133rd season of the Scottish Junior Cup, the national knockout tournament for member clubs of the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). The competition was sponsored by Macron in the first year of a three-year deal and is known as the Macron Scottish Junior Cup.
A total of 129 clubs entered the competition, which was 28 fewer than the previous season. This was due to 25 teams leaving the Junior ranks for the East of Scotland League along with Cruden Bay, Inverness City, and Lewis United not entering the tournament.
Auchinleck Talbot were the defending champions. They successfully defended their title with a 2–0 win over Largs Thistle in the final.
Calendar The dates for each round of the 2018–19 tournament are as follows:
Round Date Matches Clubs New entries this round First round 15 September 2018 1 129 → 128 125 Second round 29 September 2018 64 128 → 64 4 Third round 27 October 2018 32 64 → 32 none Fourth round 24 November 2018 16 32 → 16 none Fifth round 26 January 2019 8 16 → 8 none Quarter-finals 23 February 2019 4 8 → 4 none Semi-finals 30 March and 6 April 2019 4 4 → 2 none Final 2 June 2019 1 2 → 1 none
Drawn matches are replayed and replays that end in a draw proceed direct to a penalty shootout, there is no extra time. Semi-finals are played home and away over two legs with the winner on aggregate progressing to the final. If the aggregate score is tied at the end of the second leg, the match will also proceed direct to a penalty shootout.
First round The four Junior clubs competing in the Scottish Cup were not included in the draw for the first round: Auchinleck Talbot - Junior Cup holders Beith Juniors - West of Scotland Super League Premier Division champions
Also qualified automatically for the second round were Banks O'Dee, who achieved national club licensing requirements, and Girvan, who qualify automatically as historic full members of the Scottish Football Association.
The first and second round draws took place at Hampden Park, Glasgow on 23 August 2018.
Home teamScoreAway team15 September 2018Colony Park 4–2Kirriemuir Thistle
Second round Home teamScoreAway team29 September 2018Kinnoull2–0 Saltcoats VictoriaCambuslang Rangers5–0Fraserburgh UnitedTroon5–1Lochee HarpBlantyre Victoria2–2Vale of Clyde Auchinleck Talbot4–2Forfar West EndCumnock Juniorsw/o1Coupar AngusCumbernauld United1–2Glenafton AthleticEllon United3–2Forth WanderersGirvan2–0CulterBellshill Athletic4–0Burghead ThistleIslavale3–0Vale of LevenLochore Welfare2–4Fauldhouse UnitedPollok9–0Buchanhaven HeartsDundee Violet4–2MaryhillEast End2–1Lochgelly AlbertNew Elgin1–1WhitehillsRosyth1–02Newmains UnitedCarnoustie Panmure3–0LongsideKirkcaldy YMCA0–3RenfrewMuirkirk2–2Yoker AthleticGartcairn3–23Kilbirnie LadesideArthurlie3–0Forres ThistleTayport3–1Port GlasgowRutherglen Glencairn8–0DeveronsideBridge of Don Thistle2–1Ardrossan Winton RoversMaybole2–2Aberdeen UniversityKilwinning Rangers3–1BeithBenburb0–4Broughty AthleticBanks O'Dee6–0Dyce JuniorsScone Thistle0–1NeilstonHurlford United10–0DufftownSpey Valley United2–7Harthill Royal Home teamScoreAway team29 September 2018Livingston United 0–2Kilsyth RangersGlenrothes3–0Brechin VictoriaWishaw2–0West Calder United Hermes4–3NewburghLochee United6–2Dalry Thistle Glasgow Perthshire1–6St. Roch'sSt. Anthony's 0–3Irvine Meadow XIIrvine Victoria1–9Kirkintilloch Rob RoyPetershill 1–2DarvelRoyal Albert5–3Lugar Boswell Thistle Annbank United5–0Ardeer ThistleHall Russell United4–3Kennoway Star HeartsGlentanar1–3Carluke RoversColony Park4–1StonehavenAshfield1–0Banchory St TernanNairn St Ninian3–0Buckie RoversClydebank4–0Armadale ThistleThornton Hibs7–1Stoneywood ParkvaleEast Kilbride Thistle1–0Montrose RoseleaArbroath Victoria0–9Largs ThistleBathgate Thistle1–2Craigmark BurntoniansNewmachar United1–3WhitburnKello Rovers2–1BlairgowrieShettleston 0–1Dundee North EndWhitletts Victoria2–2Lanark UnitedThorniewood United0–3Dundee East CraigieShotts Bon Accord3–2Maud Greenock 2–5RossvaleStoneyburn 2–4LuncartySunnybank0–3LesmahagowDownfield7–1Larkhall ThistlePumpherston3–1Forfar Albion
1 Tie awarded to Cumnock Juniors as Coupar Angus unable to raise side. 2 Tie played at Victoria Park, Newmains after Rosyth's Fleet Grounds deemed unsuitable to host match. 3 Tie played at Valefield Park, Kilbirnie after Gartcairn's MTC Park deemed unsuitable to host match.
Replays Home teamScoreAway teamVale of Clyde0–7Blantyre VictoriaWhitehills1–3New ElginYoker Athletic3–3(4–5p) MuirkirkAberdeen University1–0MayboleLanark United2–0Whitletts Victoria
Third round The third round draw took place at the offices of the Scottish Sun newspaper in Glasgow on 9 October 2018. Home teamScoreAway team27 October 2018New Elgin0–7LuncartyPollok0–0Cumnock JuniorsAshfield4–2NeilstonRenfrew2–1Fauldhouse UnitedWishaw1–1Lanark UnitedPumpherston1–4Blantyre VictoriaKinnoull0–3ClydebankSt Roch's4–1DownfieldHurlford United2–1Broughty AthleticTayport1–5RossvaleColony Park1–6Cambuslang RangersGartcairn Juniors0–24Lochee UnitedDarvel4–2WhitburnMuirkirk2–2GirvanEast End0–3Dundee North EndLargs Thistle4–0Shotts Bon AccordHome teamScoreAway team27 October 2018Bridge of Don Thistle3–5RosythCarnoustie Panmure5–0Aberdeen UniversityTroon4–2Nairn St. NinianKilsyth Rangers2–0Irvine MeadowCarluke Rovers1–0HermesCraigmark Burntonians4–1East CraigieEllon United1–3Glenafton AthleticRoyal Albert2–2Harthill RoyalBanks O' Dee5–1East Kilbride ThistleAnnbank United2–1Kello RoversGlenrothes8–0Hall Russell UnitedKirkintilloch Rob Roy1–3Thornton HibsArthurlie1–3Dundee VioletIslavale1–4Rutherglen GlencairnKilwinning Rangers2–0Bellshill Athletic3 November 2018Auchinleck Talbot9–1Lesmahagow
4 Tie played at Petershill Park, Glasgow after Gartcairn's MTC Park deemed unsuitable to host match.
Replays 3 November 2018Home team Score Away teamCumnock Juniors1–3PollokGirvan4–4(6–5p) MuirkirkHarthill Royal3–3(3–5p) Royal AlbertLanark United2–1Wishaw
Fourth round Home teamScoreAway team24 November 2018Glenafton Athletic0–0PollokCraigmark Burntonians2–1GlenrothesCarluke Rovers1–3Lochee UnitedRoyal Albert1–3ClydebankKilsyth Rangers1–3Hurlford UnitedDarvel1–2Largs ThistleKilwinning Rangers3–1Banks O' DeeSt Roch's3–0LuncartyLanark United1–1RossvaleDundee North End0–4Cambuslang RangersRutherglen Glencairn7–1AshfieldGirvan7–1Dundee VioletRosyth2–0Annbank United1 December 2018Carnoustie Panmure1–3Troon8 December 2018Blantyre Victoria0–4Auchinleck TalbotThornton Hibs2–05Renfrew
5Tie played at Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy.
Replays Home teamScoreAway team1 December 2018Pollok1–1(3–0p) Glenafton AthleticRossvale3–1Lanark United
Fifth round
Home teamScoreAway team26 January 2019Kilwinning Rangers6–2Thornton HibsLargs Thistle1–1St Roch'sCambuslang Rangers0–1TroonRossvale1–1Hurlford UnitedPollok8–2RosythAuchinleck Talbot4–1Rutherglen Glencairn9 February 2019Girvan1–7ClydebankCraigmark Burntonians0–4Lochee United
Replays Home teamScoreAway team9 February 2019St Roch's2–5Largs ThistleHurlford United4–3Rossvale
Quarter-finals Home teamScoreAway team23 February 2019Largs Thistle5–0Kilwinning RangersTroon0–2Lochee UnitedHurlford United1–1ClydebankPollok0–3Auchinleck Talbot
Replay Home teamScoreAway team2 March 2019Clydebank1–3Hurlford United
Semi-finals The draw for the semi-finals took place on 7 March 2019.
First leg
Second leg
Largs Thistle won 4–3 on aggregate.
Auchinleck Talbot won 6–1 on aggregate.
Final The Final of the Macron Scottish Junior Cup was played at New Douglas Park, Hamilton on Sunday 2 June with a 4.10pm kick off. The game was televised live by BBC Alba. Both teams wore their away strips.
References