The prospect of an all-Ayrshire affair in this season’s Scottish Junior Cup Final is looking a stronger than ever possibility.

The likelihood comes after Glenafton and Auchinleck Talbot chalked up impressive first leg results in their respective semi-final clashes against East Region big guns Bonnyrigg Rose and Linlithgow Rose.

Nobody can deny there’s still everything to play for in next weekend’s return meetings.

But neither is there any disputing that Glenafton clearly hold an advantage in taking a 1-0 lead through to New Dundas Park or indeed that Auchinleck battling their way to as 0-0 stalemate away to Linlithgow has now handed the initiative to Tommy Sloan’s side.

Bookmakers rating the Glens as outsiders in their eagerly-awaited Loch Park brush with Bonnyrigg did not appear too far off the mark as the visitors enjoyed the better of a first half in which goalkeeper Brian McGarrity twice saved from bustling Rose front man Kieran McGachie to prevent certain scores.

Suffering a pre-match warm-up blow when striker Chris Dallas pulled up with a re-occurrence of his knee injury appeared to affect the home side who were lacklustre and posing very little in the way of a goalscoring threat other than a hat trick of David Gray free kick efforts - none of which were on target.

But a tie that was taking time to ignite in the gusty conditions flared into life following an angry 35th-minute altercation between Glens full-back Cammy Marlow and opposing midfielder Lewis Turner that saw both players yellow carded .

A cynical Gray trip-tackle to upend Turner as he broke upfield shortly afterwards did not help to placate rising tempers.

However, playing with a bit more fire in their blood was to Glenafton’s liking and they came ever so close to going ahead just short of the interval when Joe Andrew cut infield from out left to unleash a powerful angular shot that carried just wide of Rose goalkeeper Michael Andrews’ far post.

Playing into the wind second half was suiting Glenafton and they got their noses in front after 58 minutes when a poor first touch from Bonnyrigg stopper Ewan Moyes saw the ball break into the path of Daniel Orsi and the midfielder's low 20 yard shot zipped into the far corner of the net aided by a slight deflection.

Just four minutes later and things went from bad to worse for towering defender Moyes after his sliding challenge on Glens frontman John Carter inside the box had whistler Lloyd Wilson pointing to the spot for a Glens penalty kick.

A veritable posse of Bonnyrigg players surrounded the match official led by the clearly incandescent with rage Moyes, who was then red-carded for overstepping the mark with his verbal protestations.

However, he probably derived a measure of consolation from Glenafton missing their dream scoring opportunity as Darren McGill’s spot kick rebounded off the outside of the post before being cleared to safety.

Visiting boss Robbie Horn’s reshuffling of his pack through the substitutions of forward going pair Adam Nelson and Wayne McIntosh gave signal of his intent to settle for a 1-0 scoreline and try as they might ,Glenafton could not make their numerical advantage count over the closing 30 minutes.

He summed up his thoughts later in saying: "The result might have been a lot worse so I’m pleased to have everything to play for next week.”

Glenafton counterpart Craig McEwan said: "I’ve known Robbie for a number of years and fully agree with his thinking that the tie is a long way from being settled so rest assured my players are under no illusions that the hard part of the job is yet to come.

“We will prepare for an entirely different game through there, however some of the Bonnyrigg folk saying they will take three or four goals off us at their place smacks of being bit disrespectful to my players.

“We only played to our capabilities in patches today yet I felt we were worthy winners and my only disappointment is Darren failing to put away the penalty kick that would have given us a 2-0 lead as he’s normally a great striker of the ball but just didn’t catch it right on this occasion.

“The furore over the penalty kick and sending off is going to grab the headlines and I think the only way for my players to get the recognition they deserve is to book their place in the cup final.”

The Glens gaffer revealed: "Losing big Dallas so close to kick off was a major blow and forced us into throwing Joe Andrew in as his replacement even though he was not fully fit himself.

“We also had Orsi playing with cracked ribs and Menzies less than 100 per cent so I cannot praise the players enough for their efforts.”

A bumper 2000 strong crowd - the vast majority of them travelling Ayrshire fans - took in a dour Prestonfield head to head between Linlithgow and Auchinleck where scoring opportunities were kept to a premium by two strong defensive units.

Linlithgow enjoyed a territorial dominance but the nearest thing to an opening goal arrived when Talbot cheers to celebrate a Bryan Young goal were stifled by the sight of the linesman’s upraised flag.

Injuries forcing the replacing of Talbot pair Mark Shankland and Stephen White with James Latta and Craig McCracken did little to affect the balance of play and the Ayrshiremen dug in to earn a 0-0 stalemate.

WEEKEND RESULTS:

Scottish Junior Cup Semi Finals First Leg.

Glenafton 1 Bonnyrigg Rose 0, Linlithgow Rose 0 Auchinleck Talbot 0

McBookie.com Super Premier Division.

Beith 3 Largs Thistle2, Kilwinning Rangers 1 Cumnock 1, Hurlford Utd 2 Pollok 0, Rob Roy 2 Arthurlie 0.

McBookie.com Super First Division.

Petershill 2 Rutherglen Glencairn 3, Kilsyth Rangers 3 Renfrew 2, Irvine Meadow 0 Girvan 0, Blantyre Vics 1 Irvine Vics 2, Maryhill 1 Shettleston 5, Shotts Bon Accord 0 Yoker Athletic 1, Clydebank 3 Cumbernauld Utd 0.

McBookie.com Central First Division.

Vale of Clyde 3 Johnstone Burgh 1, Greenock 1 Lesmahagow 2, Bellshill Athletic 0 Larkhall Thistle 3, Thorniewood Utd 1 Rossvale 1,Forth Wanderers 3 Neilston 0, St Roch's 3 Wishaw 3.

McBookie.com Central Second Division.

Newmains Utd 0 Ashfield 4, Dunipace 1 Gartcairn 2, East Kilbride Thistle 0 Vale of Leven 0, Royal Albert 1 Lanark Utd 1.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

Annbank Utd 5 Lugar Boswell 2, Maybole 0 Dalry Thistle 3, Saltcoats Vics 0 Darvel 4, Whitletts Vics 1 Kello Rovers 3, Craigmark 3 Ardeer Thistle 0.