MAJOR successes were celebrated by two Garnock Valley teams in 2017.

Beith Juniors lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time in their history and followed that up by regaining the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup.

Ladeside then captured the first honour of 2016-17, defeating Auchinleck Talbot to clinch the Ardagh Glass League Cup. It was their first trophy triumph in six years.

Johnny Millar's Beith side squared up to Premier Division rivals Pollok in the showpiece national final, which was played in front of a bumper crowd of just under 5,000 at Rugby Park.

The match ended deadlocked at 1-1 with Darren Christie on target for the Bellsdale Park side midway through the second half with veteran Robbie Winters levelling for the Glasgow side. However Richard Burke sealed victory for the Ayrshire team with the winning kick in the penalty shootout.

They followed that up by lifting the top domestic prize, the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup, defeating relegated Irvine Meadow 5-1, with man-of-the match Burke, Calum Watt, Darren Christie, Thomas Collins on target.

Meanwhile Ladeside went into the Ardagh Glass League Cup final against Auchinleck Talbot as underdogs, given the East Ayrshire side's pedigree as trophy winners.

However they turned in an outstanding display against their Premier Division rivals at Meadow Park.

The North Ayrshire team had to fight a rearguard action for much of the match, defending doggedly against an attacking Talbot team. Eddie McTernan scored the winning goal for Blasties midway through the second half.

Cup-winning boss Stephen Swift resigned in November, to be replaced by former Linlithgow Rose manager Mark Bradley.

The new gaffer enjoyed an unbeaten start, defeating Troon 2-1.and Talbot 1-0 - their fourth straight win against the Beechwood Park club - before drawing 2-2 with Hurlford United.