The omens were good as Arthurlie captain Michael MacNeil led his team out to the thumping bassline of Waterfront at the Excelsior Stadium on

Friday night, but the fairytale came to an end as the Barrhead side slumped to a 5-1 defeat in the Under-21 Cup Final against Tower Hearts.

Arthurlie are part of an academy that is still in its infancy and Hearts were a league above them, so it was never going to be easy.

In the first minute the Barrhead side almost went behind. A mix-up at the back allowed Monaghan in but, when he shot, Chrissy Kennedy managed to get back and clear from the goal line.

Arthurlie’s first venture up field was two minutes later, Sean Ross went on a fantastic run passing three opposition players only to be halted by a cynical tackle from Cameron. 

It was Tower Hearts who took the lead though. Only five minutes had elapsed when Cameron gathered on the angle of the penalty box and looking up he caught Lie keeper Mark Parson slightly off his line.

He curled a fantastic effort up and seemingly over the Lie man but Parson somehow got his finger to the ball deflecting it onto the cross bar, but when the ball came back out, Monaghan was first to react and head home the opener.

Hearts almost doubled their lead on 24 minutes when the outstretched foot of Cameron connected with a cross but the ball came back off the upright and to safety, but 60 seconds later it was two. A cross from the right found Monaghan who bulleted a header past Parson.

Ten first half minutes remained when the roof came in on Lie. A free kick outside the box saw Hearts captain Gray extend the lead for the Glasgow side before Smith made it 4-0.

After the break Hearts added another as that man Monaghan took a free-kick and fired home to complete his impressive hat-trick.

Arthurlie pulled a goal back 20 minutes later through Lewis Gamer. 
Hopefully, once the disappointment subsides, the Lie players will look back with pride on what they have achieved in this tournament.