Morton 0-0 Saints (3-4 on pens)
by Colin Orr at Cappielow Park
ST MIRREN lifted the Renfrewshire Cup for the fifth year in a row after a penalty shootout win over Morton at Cappielow tonight.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock over a keenly-contested 90 minutes meaning, for the second time in three years, the destination of the cup was decided on penalties.
Saints skipper John Potter was the man who netted the decisive kick to win the shootout 4-3 and ensured his side got their hands on the old trophy for a record 52nd time.
Contrary to the pre-season cliché, this fixture is never meaningless or friendly and both managers showed their recognition of this by naming strong line-ups.
In the St Mirren squad was a new arrival familiar to the Cappielow crowd - Paul McGowan, who had a successful spell here in 2006-2007 and signed up today on a year-long loan from Celtic.
Morton included one-time Saints striker Stewart Kean, who arrived in Greenock this summer after a two-year stint with Queen of the South.
The game was only 30 seconds old before Saints threatened, with Steven Thomson's snapshot from 20 yards out forcing a save from Kevin Cuthbert.
For the home side, on-loan Hamilton youngster Grant Evans nodded wide, before Michael Higdon drove a shot past from a good position at the other end.
Thomson wriggled free in the box but his weak effort was held by Cuthbert, before Graeme Holmes spooned a shot wide for Morton.
Saints should have taken the lead on 13 minutes when Paul McQuade's lovely ball sent Steven Robb clean through but the winger flicked his shot into the legs of the keeper.
Higdon then made space at the edge of the box and unleashed a searing drive which forced a superb diving save from Cuthbert.
Saints could have gone ahead on 28 minutes when Higdon's knock-down put McQuade into space but the little striker floated his shot just wide with the keeper beaten.
Higdon sent another drive across the face of goal but Saints couldn't turn their period of domination into goals.
Peter Weatherson forced a smart save from Paul Gallacher with a well-struck free-kick just before the break as the half limped to a close.
Half-Time: Morton 0-0 Saints
The second-half came to life on 54 minutes when a low shot from ex-Celtic youngster Michael Tidser almost snuck inside Gallacher's near post before the keeper got a hand to it.
At the other end, Darren McGregor clipped in a shot which looked to have been tipped wide by Cuthbert, although referee Stevie O'Reilly gave a goal kick.
Gallacher then held a close-range header from Weatherson before the same player again tested the keeper with a rising drive from distance.
The competitive nature of the game was shown by the fact it took 64 minutes for the first substitution - usually a constant feature of pre-season games - with Dargo replacing McQuade.
By this stage, the early momentum had drained away from Saints, who were failing to create the chances they had in the first half.
Morton looked sharper but the superior condition of the Greenock side - who played their first competitive game at the weekend - was perhaps a factor.
Dargo could have won it on 77 minutes when he robbed Evans and raced in on goal but his side-foot finish was blocked by the leg of Cuthbert.
McGowan made his entrance - to be met with a smattering of boos from the home crowd - as an 82nd-minute replacement for Robb.
The last chance of the 90 minutes fell to McGregor but Cuthbert held his curling shot and the game went to penalties.
Full-Time: Morton 0-0 Saints
Holmes was first up for Morton but Gallacher dived low to save before Higdon blasted Saints into the lead.
Monti scored for Ton but van Zanten stroked his kick past the post to level the scores. Kevin Kelbie then missed, allowing late sub Garry Brady to put Saints 2-1 up.
Tidser and McGowan both scored, as did Marc Smyth, which gave skipper John Potter the chance to win it and he calmly stroked his kick inside the post before lifting the trophy.
Penalty Shootout: Morton 3-4 Saints
Morton: Cuthbert, MacGregor, McKinlay, Smyth, Evans, Tidser, Holmes, Bachirou, Weatherson (Jenkins 82), Kean (Kelbie 72), O'Brien (Monti 72).
Subs Not Used: MacFarlane, Shepherd, Stewart (GK).
St Mirren: Gallacher, Barron, Travner, McGregor, Potter, McAusland (Brady 89), McQuade (Dargo 64), Murray (Van Zanten 72), Higdon, Thomson, Robb (McGowan 82).
Subs Not Used: Lynch, Wardlaw , Love, Samson (GK).
Referee: Stevie O'Reilly
Attendance: 3,422
Star Saint: Darren McGregor was a physical and effective presence in the middle of the park but Michael Higdon gave the home defence a torrid time as Saints had the better of the first half.
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