Unlikely hero fires Rose to cup glory
LINLITHGOW hero Kevin Donnelly said he knew his wonder goal that secured a fourth Scottish Junior Cup for Rose was net-bound the moment it left his foot.
Full-back Donnelly, not known for his scoring feats, fired the goal of the season to clinch the famous cup for Rose in a 1-0 win over Largs Thistle at Kilmarnock's Rugby Park last Sunday.
The match was balanced on a knife-edge until the 53rd minute when Donnelly, poised 20 yards out at the right-hand angle of Largs' box, rifled a terrific first-time bullet high into the net.
"I knew when the ball left my foot that it was going in," said man-of-the-match Donnelly.
"My problem then was how to celebrate after it and I just ran to the flag pole and danced around like a headless chicken.
"I need to practise that a bit more, but then again I'm not known for scoring goals.
"I'll remember that goal for the rest of my life."
In a match which created few chances for any side, the goal livened up the game before substitute Steven Manson was sent off for a horror challenge on Alan McCabe.
Manson's studs collided with McCabe's knee near the halfway line and the referee brought out a straight red card for the Linlithgow frontman, who had been on the pitch for less than ten minutes.
Rose then held out with ten men for more than half an hour for the deserved win.
It's the third time in nine years Linlithgow have won the Fly Emirates Scottish Junior Cup and it's one that present boss David Baikie didn't expect in his first season in charge.
Baikie had previously said Rose would have to go through a "transition period" before any honours would come back to Prestonfield, but he was delighted his team won through on the day.
He said: "If anyone had told me in September that I would be lifting the Scottish Cup come May I would never have believed them. It needed something special and luckily it was our day. I'm just so delighted to win it for the supporters and committee."
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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