The 2022–23 Scottish Junior Cup known as the Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup due to sponsorship reasons, was the 136th season of the Scottish Junior Cup, the national knockout tournament for member clubs of the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). A total of 108 clubs entered the competition, two fewer than in 2021–22.
Belshill Athletic, Darvel, Lossiemouth United, Royal Albert, Rutherglen Glencairn, and Vale Of Clyde all took part once again having rejoined the SJFA, while Annbank United, Fauldhouse, Girvan, Kello Rovers, Pollok, Renfrew, Spey Valley United, and Whitletts Victoria did not compete after declining to renew their SJFA membership. Buckie Rovers, Hall Russell United, and Whitehills were in abeyance, and Pumpherston Juniors did not compete. Banks O' Dee Junior were the newest entrant (they were set up after the main Banks O' Dee club was promoted to the Highland Football League).
Auchinleck Talbot were the defending champions; they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by local rivals Cumnock Juniors, who went on to defeat their other neighbours Glenafton Athletic in the semi-finals, then overcame Rutherglen Glencairn in the final to claim the trophy for the first time since 1989, and the third time overall.
Calendar The dates for each round of the 2022–23 tournament were as follows: RoundMain dateMatchesClubsFirst round27 August 202244108 → 64Second round24 September 20223264 → 32Third round29 October 20221632 → 16Fourth round3 December 2022816 → 8Quarter-finals11 February 202348 → 4Semi-finals14 and 16 April 202324 → 2Final2 June 202312 → 1 Drawn matches proceed direct to a penalty shootout, with no extra time. The semi-finals and final were played at a neutral venue, prior to 2021–22 semi-finals were played home and away over two legs.
First round
Draw The first round draw took place at Hampden Park on 21 July 2022.
Clubs taking part in the Scottish Cup — Auchinleck Talbot, Benburb, Carnoustie Panmure, Cumnock Juniors, Darvel, Irvine Meadow XI, Lochee United, Rutherglen Glencairn, Syngenta, Tayport — received a bye into the second round draw, along with ten other clubs. Tier6789TeamsMidlands League (16) Arbroath Victoria Blairgowrie Brechin Victoria Broughty Athletic Coupar Angus Downfield Dundee North End Dundee St James Dundee Violet East Craigie Forfar United Forfar West End Kirriemuir Thistle Letham Lochee Harp Scone Thistle North Region Premier Division (13) Banchory St Ternan Bridge of Don Thistle Colony Park Culter Dufftown Dyce East End Ellon United Hermes Maud Montrose Roselea Nairn St Ninian Stonehaven West of Scotland League Premier Division (7) Arthurlie Beith Juniors Cambuslang Rangers Glenafton Athletic Largs Thistle Petershill TroonNorth Region League Championship (14) Aberdeen University Banks O' Dee Junior Buchanhaven Hearts Burghead Thistle Cruden Bay Deveronside Forres Thistle Fraserburgh United(reinstated after Irvine Victoria expelled) Islavale Longside Lossiemouth United New Elgin Juniors Newmachar United Rothie Rovers West of Scotland League First Division (6) Blantyre Victoria Cumbernauld United Gartcairn Johnstone Burgh Rossvale Shotts Bon AccordWest of Scotland League Second Division (13) Ardeer Thistle Ashfield Craigmark Burntonians Glasgow Perthshire Glasgow United Greenock Juniors Kilsyth Rangers Maryhill Maybole Juniors Muirkirk Juniors St Anthony's Wishaw Yoker AthleticEast of Scotland League Third Division (5) Armadale Thistle Harthill Royal Livingston United Stoneyburn West Calder United West of Scotland League Third Division (14) Ardrossan Winton Rovers Bellshill Athletic Carluke Rovers Dalry Thistle East Kilbride Thistle Irvine Victoria(Expelled for fielding a suspended player) Lanark United Lesmahagow Lugar Boswell Thistle Newmains United Royal Albert Saltcoats Victoria Vale of Clyde Vale of Leven
Matches Home teamScoreAway team26 August 2022Rossvale0–0(4–3 p)Muirkirk Juniors27 August 2022Ardeer Thistle1–1(5–4 p)Johnstone BurghArthurlie10–1Harthill RoyalBanks O' Dee Junior2–4Newmains UnitedBlairgowrie0–6StonehavenBrechin Victoria0–5Maybole JuniorsBuchanhaven Hearts0–3AshfieldCarluke Rovers1–1(2–3 p)Ellon UnitedColony Park3–4Bellshill AthleticCoupar Angus0–8Beith JuniorsCraigmark Burntonians2–2(4–2 p)Largs ThistleCumbernauld United0–2Shotts Bon AccordDownfield3–2DyceDufftown0–3MaryhillDundee North End1–0DeveronsideDundee St James0–5St Anthony'sDundee Violet1–4CulterEast Craigie2–1Cambuslang RangersEast End5–3Lanark UnitedForfar West End1–4Kilsyth RangersForres Thistle4–1Aberdeen UniversityHome teamScoreAway teamGlasgow Perthshire6–1Cruden BayGlasgow United0–3Blantyre VictoriaGlenafton Athletic8–1East Kilbride ThistleGreenock Juniors7–2Saltcoats VictoriaIrvine Victoria2–2(5–4 p)Fraserburgh UnitedIslavale1–4Dalry ThistleKirriemuir Thistle2–4Broughty AthleticLesmahagow1–2HermesLetham1–1(3–1 p)Burghead ThistleLivingston United1–1(3–2 p)Yoker AthleticLochee Harp0–1Newmachar UnitedLongside1–3StoneyburnLossiemouth United0–6Arbroath VictoriaLugar Boswell Thistle3–2Forfar UnitedMontrose Roselea3–2MaudPetershill4–0Nairn St NinianRothie Rovers4–2Armadale ThistleRoyal Albert1–4West Calder UnitedScone Thistle5–2New ElginTroon4–1Ardrossan Winton RoversVale of Clyde2–2(3–5 p)GartcairnVale of Leven2–4Banchory St TernanWishaw2–1Bridge of Don Thistle
Second round
Draw The second round draw took place on the PLZ Soccer - The Football Show YouTube channel on 26 Aug 2022.
Clubs taking part in the Scottish Cup and the teams that received a bye all entered at this round.
Tier6789TeamsMidlands League (11) Arbroath Victoria Broughty Athletic Carnoustie Panmure Downfield Dundee North End East Craigie Letham Lochee United Scone Thistle Tayport
North Region Premier Division (8) Banchory St Ternan Culter East End Ellon United Hermes Montrose Roselea Stonehaven Stoneywood Parkvale
West of Scotland League Premier Division (11)
Auchinleck Talbot Arthurlie Beith Juniors Cumnock Juniors Darvel Glenafton Athletic Hurlford United Irvine Meadow XI Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Petershill TroonNorth Region Championship (6) Glentanar Forres Thistle Fraserburgh United Newmachar United Rothie Rovers Sunnybank West of Scotland League First Division (9) Blantyre Victoria Benburb Gartcairn Kilbirnie Ladeside Rossvale Rutherglen Glencairn Shotts Bon Accord St Roch's Thorniewood UnitedEast of Scotland League Second Division (1) Syngenta West of Scotland League Second Division (10) Ardeer Thistle Ashfield Craigmark Burntonians Glasgow Perthshire Greenock Juniors Kilsyth Rangers Maryhill Maybole Juniors St Anthony's WishawEast of Scotland League Third Division (4) Bathgate Thistle Livingston United Stoneyburn West Calder United West of Scotland League Third Division (5)
Bellshill Athletic Dalry Thistle Larkhall Thistle Lugar Boswell Thistle Newmains United
Matches Home teamScoreAway team16 September 2022Petershill1–1(4–1 p)Irvine Meadow XI24 September 2022Arbroath Victoria2-1Kilsyth RangersArthurlie4-0Lugar Boswell ThistleBanchory St Ternan1-6GartcairnBeith Juniors2-0HermesCarnoustie Panmure4-2West Calder UnitedCumnock Juniors1-1(4–2 p)AshfieldDalry Thistle1-2StoneyburnDarvel10-1GlentanarEast Craigie3-2Broughty AthleticEast End2-2(6–5 p)Sunnybank FCEllon United1-1(3–1 p)Bathgate ThistleForres Thistle0-1Thorniewood UnitedGlasgow Perthshire1-2Kilbirnie LadesideGreenock Juniors1-5Rutherglen GlencairnHome teamScoreAway teamHurlford United7-0DownfieldKirkintilloch Rob Roy3-0Dundee North EndLarkhall Thistle3-1BenburbLivingston United4-1Scone ThistleLochee United1-2St Roch'sMaryhill4-1Newmains UnitedMontrose Roselea1-2Shotts Bon AccordNewmachar United2-0LethamRossvale2-4Auchinleck TalbotRothie Rovers1-5Glenafton AthleticSt Anthony's1-1(6–7 p)Blantyre VictoriaStonehaven1-1(6–5 p)CulterSyngentaw/oCraigmark BurntoniansTayport7-1Ardeer ThistleWishaw1-2Maybole Juniors8 October 2022Stoneywood Parkvale1-2Bellshill Athletic22 October 2022Troon4-0Fraserburgh United
Third round
Draw The third round draw took place on the PLZ Soccer - The Football Show YouTube channel on 16 Sep 2022.
Tier6789TeamsMidlands League (4) Arbroath Victoria Carnoustie Panmure East Craigie Tayport
North Region Premier Division (3) East End Ellon United Stonehaven
West of Scotland League Premier Division (10)
Auchinleck Talbot Arthurlie Beith Juniors Cumnock Juniors Darvel Glenafton Athletic Hurlford United Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Petershill TroonNorth Region Championship (1) Newmachar United West of Scotland League First Division (7) Blantyre Victoria Gartcairn Kilbirnie Ladeside Rutherglen Glencairn Shotts Bon Accord St Roch's Thorniewood UnitedWest of Scotland League Second Division (3) Craigmark Burntonians Maryhill Maybole JuniorsEast of Scotland League Third Division (2) Livingston United Stoneyburn West of Scotland League Third Division (2)
Bellshill Athletic Larkhall Thistle
Matches Home teamScoreAway team29 October 2022Arbroath Victoria 0-0(4–5 p)Hurlford UnitedGartcairn2-0Livingston UnitedCraigmark Burntonians2-3Kilbirnie LadesideCumnock Juniors4-1Thorniewood UnitedEast Craigie3-1Ellon UnitedEast End3-1Newmachar UnitedKirkintilloch Rob Roy1-3ArthurlieShotts Bon Accord2-2(7–6 p)Beith JuniorsPetershill2-3Carnoustie PanmureAuchinleck Talbot3-1Darvel Glenafton Athletic4-1StoneyburnBlantyre Victoria0-3TroonStonehaven1-4St Roch'sBellshill Athletic5-2MaryhillTayport0-4Rutherglen GlencairnMaybole Juniors1-1(4–5 p)Larkhall Thistle
Fourth round
Draw The fourth round draw took place on the at Clydebuilt Home Improvements Limited Offices on 28 Oct 2022.
Tier679TeamsMidlands League (2) Carnoustie Panmure East Craigie
North Region Premier Division (1) East End
West of Scotland League Premier Division (6)
Auchinleck Talbot Arthurlie Cumnock Juniors Glenafton Athletic Hurlford United TroonWest of Scotland League First Division (5)
Gartcairn Kilbirnie Ladeside Rutherglen Glencairn Shotts Bon Accord St Roch'sWest of Scotland League Third Division (2)
Bellshill Athletic Larkhall Thistle
Matches Home teamScoreAway team3 December 2022Bellshill Athletic2–2(2–1 p)Kilbirnie LadesideCarnoustie Panmure1–3Glenafton AthleticCumnock Juniors0–0(4–3 p)Auchinleck TalbotEast Craigie1–1(3–1 p)St Roch'sGartcairn1–2Rutherglen GlencairnHurlford United1–0TroonLarkhall Thistle1–1(7–6 p)East EndShotts Bon Accord2–2(5–4 p)Arthurlie
Quarter-final
Draw The quarter final draw took place at Hampden Park on 2 December 2022.
Tier679TeamsMidlands League (1) East Craigie
West of Scotland League Premier Division (3)
Cumnock Juniors Glenafton Athletic Hurlford UnitedWest of Scotland League First Division (2)
Rutherglen Glencairn Shotts Bon AccordWest of Scotland League Third Division (2)
Bellshill Athletic Larkhall Thistle
Matches Home teamScoreAway team11 February 2023Bellshill Athletic0–4Glenafton AthleticEast Craigie2–1Shotts Bon AccordHurlford United1–2Cumnock JuniorsLarkhall Thistle1–2Rutherglen Glencairn
Semi-final
Draw The semi final draw took place at Hampden Park on 14 February 2023 Tier67TeamsMidlands League (1) East Craigie West of Scotland League Premier Division (2) Cumnock Juniors Glenafton AthleticWest of Scotland League First Division (1) Rutherglen Glencairn
Matches
Final The Final of the Scottish Junior Cup was played at Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld on Friday 2 June with a 7.35pm kick off. The game was televised live by BBC Alba.
References