Loony Joons: Irvine prove they're Medda hard stuff as they secure title again

May 24 2012

Inside the wacky world of Junior football with Glaswegian hack and Johnstone Burgh goalkeeper Fraser Wilson (@Doonhamer79)

THE day of destiny delivered the mother of all parties for the boys in blue – and I’m not just talking about new Euro kings Chelsea.

Nope, somewhere down the soccer scale Irvine Meadow's blue and white bandwagon steamrolled its way to a second successive Stagecoach Premier League title.

A 2-0 win over Largs saw them over the line and sparked celebrations which, I'm reliably informed, lasted long into the wee 'oors.

As Roberto Di Matteo and Co partied in the salubrious surroundings of the Allianz Arena, Chris Strain's men were kicking off a soiree of their own at the slightly less glam Meadow Park after clawing back Petershill's 16-point lead at the top in the last five weeks.

There might have been no open-top bus parade through Irvine but the Medda faithful wouldn't have given a damn as they almost lifted the roof right off their social club.

Good on them too. The effort required to win what is an ultra-competitive league twice in succession is every bit as impressive as the achievement of the Stamford Bridge millionaires in my eyes.

And to do it after falling 16 points behind their rivals - albeit with a gruelling eight games in hand - makes the achievement all the more remarkable.

Of course it's a painful lesson for Petershill, who led the way for almost an entire season, and it's another boot in the privates for Glasgow's junior sides too.

In west region terms the result made it 2-0 to Ayrshire over the city as far as the big three trophies are concerned following Medda's success in the West of Scotland Cup just seven days earlier.

And it won't get any better for city sides this weekend when the prize we all crave - the Scottish Junior Cup - is decided between two non-Glasgow sides at Almondvale.

Auchinleck Talbot are red hot favourite's to claim the trophy for a record 10th time when they square up to Shotts Bon Accord in the final and who would bet against Bot manager Tommy Sloan landing the Holy Grail for a fourth time? Certainly not me.

Tucker's record in this trophy is phenomenal - three previous finals in 2006, 2009 and 2011 and a victorious outcome in each one.

No doubt Tony McInally's on-form Shotts will be right up for the battle and lets hope so. This is the showpiece event of our season and will go out live on BBC Alba.

It's the one opportunity the juniors have every year to show the rest of the footballing world what our game is all about and regularly attracts crowds nearing 10,000.

I just hope the players enjoy every minute of the occasion as they don't know if it will ever come round for them again.

As for me.. I'll look out my press pass as it's the closest I'm going to get to the big one for another year.

The Junior Cup Final, at Livingston's Almondvale Stadium, kicks off a 4.05pm on Sunday and is live on BBC Alba.

There's only two other games in town at the weekend with Renfrew travelling to face East Kilbride on Saturday in a game which Pollok will be keeping a close eye on, given their impending play-off battle which could involve the Frew.

In the other fixture Ashfield will travel to face either Petershill or Carluke in the quarter final of the Cup Winners' Cup, these two playing tonight for their place in the last eight.

Match of the day: Auchinleck Talbot v Shotts Bon Accord, Scottish Junior Cup Final, Almondvale Stadium, Livingston, 2pm.

Team of the week: Irvine Meadow. Two in a row for Chris Strain's men now after they successfully negotiated a three-games-a-week run-in to overhaul Petershill in the Premier League. Impressive.