Auchinleck Talbot hero to get the boot

Jun 4 2009

Auchinleck Talbot 2 Clydebank 1

TALBOT goalgrabber Sean McIlroy is about to be presented with the Order of the Boot and he will receive it at a dinner with his Rangers hero Kris Boyd.

Former Irvine Royal Academy pupil Sean brought his Scottish Junior Cup tally to 11 on Sunday when he grabbed Auchinleck’s Talbot’s opener in their 2-1 win over Clydebank, and that was enough to earn him the Golden Boot as the competition’s top scorer.

And now he’s being lined up for a dinner date with Boyd, winner of the Senior game’s Golden Boot, where they will both be presented with their awards by a national newspaper. “It would be great to meet Kris,” said the 22-year-old. “But I don’t think anything will ever beat the feeling when that header hit the back of the Clydebank net.

“It was just fantastic and the reception I got as I ran towards our fans was unbelievable.”

“I honestly felt I didn’t play all that well on Sunday but a lot of that was down to the heat – it was absolutely boiling out there on the pitch and at half time I just sat in the dressing room with my shirt off and kept pouring water over myself in an attempt to cool down.

“The manager took me of a few minutes after the goal because I think he saw I was about gone.”

Sean, from Brown Walk, Irvine, is studying Health and Exercise Science at Paisley and hasn’t had a minute to himself since Sunday’s final.

“It’s just been non-stop celebrations,” said the former Irvine Vics and Kilwinning Rangers U21s striker.

“It’s such a community thing and the people of Auchinleck have been treating all the players like heroes.”

The youngster who still has one year of his contract left admits he loves life at Beechwood but wouldn’t mind a crack at the bigger leagues. “I get on well with the players, the coaching staff and the committee,” he added. “I love it here, but obviously if a senior club showed interest I’d have to look at it seriously