Report

Talbot breezed past Luncarty to make it through to the last 8 of the Scottish cup; one of three Ayrshire sides in the quarter-finals.
Right from the off it was Talbot who dominated proceedings. The 1st effort at goal coming in the 3rd minute when Shankland laid the ball off for McCracken & he rocketed a powerful shot on target that flew straight at Bruce.
Soon after, the home defence were tested again when Pope fired a dangerous cross into the near post, with D Kelly clearing under pressure from G Wilson.
For all Talbot’s territorial dominance Luncarty were proving to be difficult to break down with eleven men behind the ball anytime Talbot ventured over the halfway line.
The 1st caution of the match came in the 19th minute when Talbot’s Harvey was penalised for a late tackle.
Talbot ought to have taken the lead in the 24th minute. Lyle released Young down the right & Hyslop met his cross inside the near post but glanced a free header wide of the far post.
The Bot’s next effort at goal came from Lyle. Young slipped the ball to him inside the area & he turned before firing a left foot shot straight at Bruce from 15 yards.
With half an hour gone a 2nd Talbot player found himself in the ref’s notebook when Shankland was cautioned for dissent & a few minutes later S Wilson added to the crime count when booked for a shirt tug.
Talbot won a free kick in a promising area when McCracken was up ended just outside the box. Shankland took the set piece but suffice to say it wasn’t his finest effort as he floated a tame effort over the wall that Bruce easily saved.
The opening goal came in the 35th minute. Shankland whipped a great ball over from the left that G Wilson fired on target, forcing a fine instinctive save from Bruce. The ball came back out to Wilson who laid it back to YOUNG & he slotted it away into the bottom corner.
Three minutes later Talbot came close to adding a second goal. Pope lifted a tremendous diagonal ball over the defence which Hyslop threw himself at but he just failed to connect.
The game continued to be one-way traffic but for all their possession Talbot couldn’t find a way through & went in at half-time with a slender 1-0 lead.
Talbot started the 2nd half strongly & threatened within a minute. Young held the ball up before finding Pope on the left & his 1st time ball into the centre broke off G Wilson & fell kindly for the keeper.
Luncarty hadn’t offered any threat but they did put together a nice move in the 50th minute, although it was let down by the final effort as McAllister ballooned his shot over the bar.
A minute later Dobie became the 1st Luncarty player cautioned when he was penalised for a body check on Hyslop.
It should’ve been game over in the 56th minute. G Wilson played a good ball out left to find Young in space. Shankland met his cross in the centre but managed to glance his header wide when it looked easier to hit the target.
Luncarty’s Reid now had his name taken for a late challenge on S Wilson.
The crucial 2nd goal arrived in the 58th minute. McCracken fed the ball through to G WILSON on the right side of the area & he drilled a low shot into the opposite corner to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.
Luncarty reacted to this with a double substitution with Walker & Whytock making way for Gray & McLaren.
Talbot came close again in the 62nd minute. Young touched a free kick off to the side for Pope to hit & his shot flew just over the bar from 30 yards.
Talbot’s 3rd goal arrived in the 65th minute & had more than a touch of fortune about it. McCracken fired a shot from the edge of the area that took a major deflection off WALKER before spinning in under the bar for an own goal.
With the tie safely won Tucker made a triple substitution after 74 mins with Young, Shankland & Steven Wilson being replaced by White, Stevenson & Pooler.
Bruce prevented Talbot from adding to their lead in the 78th minute. Pooler cut into the area & pulled the ball back for Wilson. He was challenged but the ball came out to Lyle & his effort was flying into the roof of the net til Bruce tipped it over the bar.
The final goal came in the 81st minute. Pooler flicked the ball into the path of Stevenson who sped through the centre before releasing it to his left to find G WILSON. He carried on into the box before drilling a low shot across the keeper to make it 4-0.
Luncarty’s keeper had picked up a knock & after a short delay was replaced Stewart.
Talbot twice came close to adding to their tally in the closing stages. Firstly, White hit a daisy cutter from 20 yards that flew just past the right post & then Stevenson latched onto a weak headed clearance before firing a shot just over the bar.
This was a comfortable win for Talbot who dominated from first to last to send the fans home happy. Next for Talbot is a sterner challenge as they head up to Bellsdale to face Beith in the league.

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McGoldrick, McCracken, Young, Hyslop, G Wilson, Shankland, S Wilson

Subs – Stevenson, Pooler, White, Latta, Boyle

Luncarty – Bruce, D Kelly, Dobie, McAllister, Dolzanski, Gordon, Walker, Reid, Whytock, Doig, Montgomery

Subs – Stewart, Nicol, McLaren, G Kelly, Gray