Finalists confirmed after high scoring Men’s Scottish Cup semi-finals

Grove Menzieshill 1-4 Erskine Stewart’s Melville

The first Men’s Scottish Cup Semi-Final saw Erskine Stewart’s Melville clock up a great 4-1 win over Grove Menzieshill to reach the final.

Both sides got forward as quickly as possible and it made for an end-to-end contest. The first chance of the match went to ESM and a good save low to the left denied them the lead.

As the opening quarter progressed ESM began to look the more dangerous out the two but couldn’t quite fashion a clean opportunity.

The second quarter found Grove Menzieshill grow into the contest and press the ESM circle, but first blood would be drawn up the other end.

A penalty corner routine gave ESM the opening goal of the match. Fraser Sturrock was on hand the fire a low shot against the backboard on the rebound.

Jack Collister bagged a second for ESM when he finished off a lovely penalty corner routine from close range. 2-0, which was how it remained until half time.

Early in the second half ESM went 3-0 ahead. The goal came through a sweeping move that was clinically finished on the turn and struck into the bottom left corner by David Ellis.

Rich Wright then made it 4-0 was a tremendous drag flick into the roof of the net as ESM put some distance in the contest.

In the final quarter Murray Griffiths pulled one back for Grove Menzieshill when he pounced on a loose ball in the circle and fired home for 4-1.

Grove Menzieshill went hunting for more goals and threw the kitchen sink at ESM, and eventually won a penalty stroke in the closing stages, but a superb save denied them.

There would be no further goals and ESM booked their place in the Men’s Scottish Cup Final.

1 April 2023 at Glasgow Green
Scottish Cup semi-final, ESM v Grove Menzieshill – photo by Duncan Gray

 

Grange 0-5 Western Wildcats

Western Wildcats defeated Grange 5-0 in a clinical victory to reach the Men’s Scottish Cup Final.

It was Grange who had the first huge chance to take the lead. A penalty corner strike by Dylan Bean led to a penalty stroke. Albert Rowling stepped up to strike it but sent his effort wide of the right post.

Gordon Amour then had a chance at the end of the first quarter after a mis-trap at the top of the D allowed his a shot at goal, but it was well charged down.

The opening goal came early in the second quarter and it was Western Wildcats who found the net. Andrew McConnell stepped up to slam the ball home from the top of the circle at a penalty corner. 1-0.

Then moments later it went to 2-0 when Fraser Moran fired home. A McConnell aerial ball was tipped into Moran’s path who finished clinically to double his side’s advantage.

McConnell bagged his second and Wildcats’ third when he nearly burst the net with a drag flick into the top left corner for 3-0.

Grange enjoyed periods of possession while Wildcats sat deep and sprung attacks at pace on the counter.

The ruthlessness of Western Wildcats was clear when they went 4-0 ahead, and it was McConnell who fired home a penalty corner strike for his hat-trick.

Adam MacKenzie then made it 5-0 at the end of the third quarter when he finished off a sensational Western counter with a low strike.

Hamish Galt struck the post in the late stages after another swift counter attack for Western Wildcats, but there would be no further goals and Western booked their spot in the final.

1 April 2023 at Glasgow Green
Scottish Cup semi-final, Grange v Western Wildcats – photo by Duncan Gray

 

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