Cup win was for the fans, says Raith Rovers boss John McGlynn

As a manager the 60-year-old has come close to lifting cup silverware in the past but finally managed it after the 3-1 win over Queen of the South at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium.

Having got his hands on the trophy, he said he was happy not only for himself but for all Raith Rovers fans.

“I'm delighted,” he said, “you're always going to be delighted when you win a cup final.

"The fans were magnificent.

“I'm delighted for everyone connected with the football club. The fans, the players, the board of directors, fans who can't come who maybe now live abroad.

“And I'm delighted to have been responsible and be the manager of the team that went out and won the game.

“I was assistant manager at Hearts when we won the cup and I've won league titles here but this has to be right up there.

“You take the rough with the smooth. We've had bad times, we've not been on a great run and you have to take whatever flak comes your way, but this is a good moment and you have to cherish those.

“It's a great feeling, an amazing feeling.

"I was delighted to be there at the end with all the fans and get photos taken with the trophy and savour every moment of it.

“I'll look back at it in years to come and have good memories of it.

“That's what you're trying to produce.

"You're trying to create memories for your fans and the people here at the club.”

McGlynn admitted he wasn’t satisfied with the overall performance, with his side taking until the second half to properly find their collective feet.

“We weren't happy with the way we started the game,” he said.

"We were obviously delighted to go ahead but we were never really in control of the first half.

“Jamie's made a couple of good saves, they've hit the bar a couple of times. It could easily have been 4-2 or 4-3 at half time for Queens.

“So we couldn't be happy with that. We were just a little bit off it and they controlled in as much as Sam [Stanton] got through and had a good opportunity to score.

“I couldn't really complain about Queens scoring on half time because I thought they deserved it overall.

“Early in the second half we had Jamie MacDonald to thank again for making another good save from a corner kick.

“So we made a substitution and changed the formation and I thought from then on we controlled the game.

“Matej Poplatnik was outstanding throughout the game, he scored two goals. He's taken them both extremely well with two headers.

“I thought the third goal was excellent from Ethan Ross, there was a great build up ahead of it.

“I thought we were comfortable in the second half and deserving winners in the end.

“The whole team performed, we got a reaction from them at half time.

"The game lasts 90 minutes and we were better in the second half.”

He added: “Overall I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the game.”

Now McGlynn will turn his attention to the next match, a crucial Fife derby with rivals Dunfermline on Wednesday night.

Both sides have plenty to play for with the Pars battling to avoid the drop at the foot of the table and Rovers desperate to grab a top four finish to qualify for the Premiership play-offs.

All three matches between the pair have been disappointing so far, with a 1-1 draw and two 0-0 stalemates, but McGlynn hopes Raith can go to East End Park with a spring in their step after the cup triumph.

He said: “It's a nice boost for us for the remainder of the league campaign.

“On Wednesday it's going to be a difficult one.

"The Pars will have had 10 days to prepare and we're going to have three.

“They're fighting for their lives and I don't think they're a bad side by any manner of means.

“They were very good against Morton but the downside for John Hughes was going up to Inverness and getting beaten.

“They'll be looking to respond to that, we want to try and kick on.

“We know that five wins will get us a play-off position.

"We know that's a tall order but it's still one we are capable of doing.”