Murdo MacKinnon relishing pressure of Johnstone Burgh's Junior Cup final appearance
The West of Scotland League Premier Division outfit are going for glory this weekend.
Murdo MacKinnon insists he welcomes the pressure that comes with Johnstone Burgh's first Junior Cup final appearance in 25 years tomorrow.
The Keanie Park boss knows the full town is behind the team as they prepare to face Lowland League Tranent at Broadwood Stadium in North Lanarkshire.
Buses will be packed with up to 3,000 Burgh fans expected to make the journey from Renfrewshire and hoping for a first cup triumph in 57 years.
And gaffer MacKinnon is ready to embrace the moment. He said: 'It's all about pressure. It's a privilege, to be totally honest with you, it doesn't come round every day.
'I'm expecting the best part of 3,000 supporters there for Johnstone Burgh. It is 25 years from the last appearance in the cup final and the Burgh were a right good team at that point. They just couldn't get over of the line in penalties and we're now up against a right good team on Sunday.
'They've been successful, they've won trophies, they've got great experience about them. But I've got a top side. I know I've got top players there. So, we're in for a treat in a final.'
MacKinnon continued: 'My focus is purely on the game, I'm not worrying about the pressure, I'm not worrying about anything else.
'And if there is to be any pressure around it, I would rather take it on my shoulders and alleviate that for the players because what they've done and what they've achieved to get there so far has been incredible.
'But they've got a determination about them to go and finish this job – and I think they can.'
Burgh showed great resilence to get to the final after a nervy semi-final against fellow West of Scotland League Premier Division rivals Largs Thistle.
After a 1-0 defeat at home to the Seasiders, it was win-or-bust at Barrfields in the second leg earlier this month. Goals from Ciaran Diver and Aaron Mason were enough to overturn the deficit and ensure Burgh's date with destiny.
One player MacKinnon is hoping will play a huge part is former Northern Irish international Kyle Lafferty who the Burgh boss says is 'hungrier than ever'.
He said: 'As a lad, he's really down to earth. He's one of the boys, one of the players. That's how he's treated. That's how he wants to be treated. He has had an unbelievable career. A career that only people can dream of. He's won every major title this country has to offer.
'He's played for some of the biggest clubs in the country. Some of the biggest games. He's played for his country nearly 90 times, and in major tournaments.
'To have somebody with that experience, and that help, within your group and being able to use that in big games like this is brilliant. It's outstanding for me.
'And it's great for the group as well. Obviously, Kyle's got great experience playing in big games. He knows what they're about. But one thing I can tell you all, he's as hungry to win on Sunday as he's ever been.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
23 minutes ago
- The National
Ex-Rangers striker sparks wild celebrations with cup-winning penalty
The Northern Irish striker smashed home the winning penalty for Johnstone Burgh to beat Tranent in the final at Broadwood Stadium. Lafferty, who has three top-flight Scottish titles, a Scottish Cup and two League Cups as well as a Serie B title and a Championship winners' medal made no mistake from the spot as he lashed home the crucial spot-kick. The 37-year-old climbed off the bench to play a decisive role in the victory after Ciaran Diver equalised, following Tranent taking the lead through a Harry Girdwood header in the first half. Tranent were reduced to ten men with 13 minutes left to play as Scott Gray was shown a second yellow card. Read more: With the scores tied after 90 minutes, the final would go to penalties with Burgh perfect from the spot. Dean Brett fired his penalty over the bar with Luke Scullion saving Tranent's third penalty from Euan Bauld. Diver, Fraser Mullen, Ross Davidson and Lafferty were on target for Burgh to win the cup, and spark wild celebrations as supporters raced onto the Broadwood pitch. Lafferty said on BBC Alba after the cup victory: "You always want to get to finals, no matter what standard you are in. "When I first signed for the club, that was the first thing they said to me: 'We need to win the Scottish Cup, that is the cup we want'. "It's been a long, long time since they've been to the final, never mind winning it."
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Daily Record
Kyle Lafferty leads wild Johnstone Burgh celebrations as former Rangers star makes history with Junior Cup heroics
Lafferty scored the winning penalty to lift the cup with Johnstone Burgh Buzzing Kyle Lafferty was on a high having made history with Johnstone Burgh after the striker netted the winning penalty in the Scottish Junior Cup final. The ex- Rangers and Northern Ireland star came on as a second-half substitute to help Murdo MacKinnon's side secure the trophy for the first time since 1968. He said: 'It's brilliant for myself to score a winning goal, to win the penalty shoot-out. For all that to be put on my shoulders was massive for me. 'And I knew how much it meant to the club. The first thing the club said to me was 'we need to win the Scottish Junior Cup in the two years you're here', and we've done it.' MacKinnon is now only the third Keanie Park manager to lift this trophy alongside Jimmy Blackburn and Peter Donald. He said: 'I've always had a strong belief in this group of players – they make magic happen. I was confident we'd do it and to win in the manner we did – I'm over the moon.' Lafferty wrote his name into Burgh folklore as he ended the club's 57-year wait to lift the Junior Cup. The former Rangers and Northern Ireland star stepped up to net the crucial spot-kick in a 4-2 penalty kicks win against Lowland League side Tranent after a 1-1 draw. Keeper Luke Scullion saved from Euan Bauld after Dean Brett had missed the opening penalty of the Broadwood Stadium shoot-out. Ciaran Diver levelled the score for Murdo MacKinnon's team after Harry Girdwood gave the Big T the lead right on half-time. It was a bright and positive start from Burgh who had the backing of around 3,000 Burgh supporters who made the trip from Renfrewshire to North Lanarkshire. Among those in the crowd keeping an eye on the game was former Rangers midfielder Graham Dorrans who turned out for Burgh last term. The Burgh boss opted to use the same line-up that helped him come from behind and win 2-0 against West of Scotland League Premier Division rivals Largs Thistle in the semi-final. Combined, it was a 147-year wait for the trophy for both clubs with the Keanie Park outfit last lifting the silverware in 1968 and the Lowland League side lofting it in the air in 1935. In the opening ten minutes of the game, Burgh controlled most of the play with the first talking point coming in the eighth minute when Belters keeper Kelby Mason looked to have handled the ball outside his box. Broadwood Stadium erupted with a roar but referee Cameron Stirling waved away any appeal. Being the stronger side, Burgh looked to be a threat and in the 22nd minute as Malky McDonald unleashed a left-footed shot towards the Big T's goal, but it was easily saved by Mason. It was a feisty affair between the two teams, with a total of four yellow cards being issued in the first half – three for Burgh and one for Tranent. The match was one filled with half-chances, however, the best came against the run of play when a free-kick for Darren Smith's Tranent was floated into the box which keeper Luke Scullion flapped at. Jake Hutchings looked to have a free header into the net but Burgh stalwart Danny O'Neil cleared the ball off the line. With 44 minutes on the clock, half-time was approaching with the scoreline blank but that changed when Tranent drew first blood from a corner. Euan Greig's delivery was dangerous and found Harry Girdwood who directed a powerful header home to send the Tranent faithful into a frenzy. MacKinnon's side came out for the second half looking to start as they had in the first 45, and they almost did with a wonder strike. Diver, who had been relatively quiet in front of goal, unleashed a strong effort on the half volley around 35 yards out which had Mason scrambling before he caught it. Scullion was made to work in the 57th minute when ex-Hibs star Danny Handling was allowed to shoot inside the box, but the Belters player couldn't get the power behind his effort. MacKinnon turned to his bench on the hour mark which saw the introduction star man Lafferty. He was straight in on the action when a free kick was laid off to him, but his effort failed to trouble the Big T's goal. In the 68th minute, Burgh started to get back into the game when Lafferty almost levelled the game when he had a header inside the six-yard box saved. The changes from MacKinnon looked to have given his side life, and it sparked Burgh to level the game. Aaron Mason's shot on the edge of the box on the 74th minute took a wicked deflection, forcing keeper Mason to scramble backwards to claw it away. However, he could only clear it into the path of Diver who smashed it home to level the score, sending the travelling Burgh support wild. A momentum shift was well and truly happening for the Johnstone outfit, and Tranent felt that even more when Scott Gray received a second yellow for stopping Kian Gilday in his tracks. The match ended all square, with a penalty shoot-out following. Brett missed the first Tranent penalty before Scullion denied Bauld. Lafferty stepped up to take the decisive spot kick after a 100 per cent success rate from Burgh on the penalties, where he netted, and he saw Burgh lift the Junior Cup for the first time since 1968.
Scottish Sun
12 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Rangers ace nets winning Junior Cup final penalty as he reveals first-day demand from club bosses
They had waited a long time to get their hands on the trophy CIARAN DIVER hailed Johnstone Burgh's comeback kings after Kyle Lafferty slammed home the winning penalty to end a 57-year wait to lift the Scottish Junior Cup. Hitman Diver netted a stunning equaliser at Broadwood as the West Premier aces hit back to finish strongly against Lowland League Tranent. Advertisement 2 Kyle Lafferty holds aloft the Scottish Junior Cup Credit: SNS 2 It was Johnstone's first success for nearly 60 years Credit: SNS Then the man of the match was among the scorers in the shootout as Murdo MacKinnon's men lifted the trophy for the first time since 1968 – and avenged a loss on penalties in their last final appearance 25 years ago. Former Rangers ace Lafferty – thrown on from the bench in a triple substitution by the Burgh boss on the hour mark – netted the clinching spot-kick with a deadly finish into the top corner. And Diver insisted he always felt it was going to be Burgh's day. The striker said: 'I just felt as the game went on and got longer I felt I was growing into the game more and more, I felt a lot sharper. Advertisement 'We've been a goal down many a time since I've been here and we always seem to find a way back into it. "It doesn't faze us as a team, we always know that we will get a chance, that another one will come and the boys just keep digging in. 'At no point did I think we would lose the game, even at 1-0 down. I knew we would still get a chance." Lafferty told BBC Alba: 'It's a final and you always want to get to finals no matter what standard you're playing in. Advertisement 'When I signed for the club that was the first thing they said to me - 'We need to win the Scottish Cup'. 'That was what they wanted as it had been a long, long time since they had even reached a final never mind winning it. Ex-Rangers and Hearts star Kyle Lafferty sees red for horror tackle in Johnstone Burgh WOSFL clash with Auchinleck Talbot 'Obviously this means everything to the community, not just the club. 'Just look at the turn-out today from all the Johnstone Burgh fans. Advertisement 'It was brilliant and we got over the line.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
