The 2018–19 Scottish Cup was the 134th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The tournament was sponsored by bookmaker William Hill in what was the eighth season of a nine-year partnership, after contract negotiations saw the initial five-year contract extended for an additional four years in October 2015.
The cup was won for the third consecutive occasion, and a record 39th in total, by the defending champions, Celtic who had won the 2018 Scottish Cup Final on 19 May 2018.
Calendar The calendar for the 2018–19 Scottish Cup, as announced by Scottish Football Association.
Round Main date Number of fixtures Clubs New Entries Preliminary Round 1 11 August 2018 7 95 → 88 19 Preliminary Round 2 1 September 2018 6 88 → 82 None First Round 22 September 2018 18 82 → 64 30 Second Round 20 October 2018 16 64 → 48 14 Third Round 24 November 2018 16 48 → 32 16 Fourth Round 19 January 2019 16 32 → 16 16 Fifth Round 9 February 2019 8 16 → 8 None Quarter-Finals 2 March 2019 4 8 → 4 None Semi-Finals 13–14 April 2019 2 4 → 2 None Final 25 May 2019 1 2 → 1 None
Preliminary rounds Draw The draw for the preliminary rounds took place on Monday, 16 July 2018 at Hampden Park and was made by Scottish National Team Head Coaches Alex McLeish and Shelley Kerr.
19 clubs were involved in the draw, of which five received a bye to the second preliminary round, while the other 14 entered the first preliminary round. The teams competing in these rounds were made up of teams from the East of Scotland Football League (8), South of Scotland Football League (4), North Caledonian Football League (1), Scottish Junior Football Association (4) and the Scottish Amateur Football Association (2). Shortlees and Tynecastle took part in the Scottish Cup for the first time after winning the 2017–18 Scottish Amateur Cup and the 2017–18 South & East Cup-Winners Shield respectively.
There were three parts to the draw. The first part determined which five clubs, from the 14 eligible, received a bye to the second preliminary round. The clubs which did not receive a bye into the second preliminary round entered the first preliminary round. Seven ties were then drawn in the first preliminary round to be played on Saturday, 11 August 2018. The final part of the draw saw six ties drawn in the second preliminary round to be played on Saturday, 1 September 2018.
Clubs with a valid Club Licence at the date of the draw were eligible for a bye to the second preliminary round. Teams in Bold advanced to the first round.
Clubs eligible for a byeClubs participating in the first preliminary round drawBanks O’Dee Burntisland Shipyard Coldstream Girvan Glasgow University Golspie Sutherland Hawick Royal Albert Linlithgow Rose Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Newton Stewart Preston Athletic St Cuthbert Wanderers Threave Rovers Wigtown & BladnochAuchinleck Talbot (2017–18 Junior Cup winners) Beith (2017–18 West Super League winners) Bonnyrigg Rose (2017–18 East Superleague winners) Shortlees (2017–18 Scottish Amateur Cup winners) Tynecastle (2017–18 South & East Cup-Winners Shield)
Preliminary round one Girvan, Linlithgow Rose, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, Newton Stewart, and Wigtown & Bladnoch received a bye to preliminary round two.
Matches
Preliminary round two
Matches
First round
The first round took place on the weekend of 22 September 2018. Along with the six winners from the second preliminary round, there were 30 new entries at this stage - 16 from the Highland Football League and 14 from the Lowland Football League.
Draw
The draw for the first round took place on Saturday, 1 September 2018 at Hampden Park and was made by former Scottish Cup winner Robbie Neilson and boxer Charlie Flynn. Selkirk withdrew from the competition before the draw was made so one team received a bye to the second round.
Teams in Bold advanced to the second round.
Highland Football LeagueLowland Football LeagueOtherBrora Rangers Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Deveronvale Forres Mechanics Fort William Fraserburgh Huntly Inverurie Loco Works Keith Lossiemouth Nairn County Rothes Strathspey Thistle Turriff United Wick AcademyBSC Glasgow Civil Service Strollers Cumbernauld Colts Dalbeattie Star East Stirlingshire Edinburgh University Edusport Academy Gala Fairydean Rovers Gretna 2008 Kelty Hearts Stirling University Vale of Leithen Whitehill WelfareEast of Scotland teams Bonnyrigg Rose Burntisland Shipyard Coldstream Linlithgow Rose SJFA teams Auchinleck Talbot Beith
BSC Glasgow were drawn to receive a bye to the second round.
Matches
Replays
Second round The second round took place on the weekend of 20 October 2018. Along with the 17 winners and one bye from the first round, there were 14 new entries at this stage - two each from the Highland Football League and the Lowland Football League and all 10 from League Two.
Draw The draw for the second round took place at Hampden Park on 22 September 2018. The draw was made by Olympic bronze medallist Eve Muirhead and Kilmarnock's Scottish Cup winning captain Ray Montgomerie.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the third round.
League TwoHighland Football LeagueLowland Football LeagueOtherAlbion Rovers Annan Athletic Berwick Rangers Clyde Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City Elgin City Peterhead Queen's Park Stirling AlbionBrora Rangers Cove Rangers Deveronvale Formartine United Fraserburgh RothesBSC Glasgow Civil Service Strollers Cumbernauld Colts East Kilbride East Stirlingshire Edusport Academy Gala Fairydean Rovers Gretna 2008 Kelty Hearts Spartans Stirling University Whitehill WelfareEast of Scotland teams Coldstream Linlithgow Rose SJFA teams Auchinleck Talbot Beith
Matches
Replay
Third round The third round took place on the weekend of 24 November 2018. Along with the 16 winners from the second round, there were 16 new entries at this stage - all 10 from League One, and six from the Championship.
Draw
The draw for the third round took place at Hampden Park on 20 October 2018 at 5:45pm.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the fourth round.
ChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoHighland Football LeagueLowland Football LeagueSJFAAlloa Athletic Ayr United Falkirk Greenock Morton Inverness Caledonian Thistle Queen of the SouthAirdrieonians Arbroath Brechin City Dumbarton East Fife Forfar Athletic Montrose Raith Rovers Stenhousemuir StranraerAnnan Athletic Berwick Rangers Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City Elgin City Peterhead Queen's ParkBrora Rangers Formartine United FraserburghBSC Glasgow East Kilbride Gala Fairydean Rovers Stirling UniversityAuchinleck Talbot Beith
Matches
Replays
Fourth round The fourth round took place on the weekend of 19 January 2019. Along with the 16 winners from the third round, there were 16 new entries at this stage - the remaining four clubs from the Championship, and all 12 from the Premiership.
Draw
The draw for the fourth round took place at Hampden Park on 24 November 2018 at 5:45pm.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the fifth round.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoOtherAberdeen Celtic Dundee Hamilton Academical Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers St Johnstone St MirrenAlloa Athletic Ayr United Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle Queen of the South Ross CountyAirdrieonians East Fife Forfar Athletic Montrose Raith Rovers Stenhousemuir StranraerCowdenbeath Elgin CityLowland Football League East Kilbride SJFA Auchinleck Talbot
Matches
Replays
Fifth round The fifth round took place on the weekend of 9 February 2019.
Draw The draw for the fifth round took place at Tynecastle Stadium on 20 January 2019 following the Hearts v Livingston match live on BBC One Scotland.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the quarter-finals.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneSJFAAberdeen Celtic Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Rangers St Johnstone St MirrenDundee United Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle Queen of the South Ross CountyEast Fife Raith RoversAuchinleck Talbot
Matches
Replays
Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals took place on the weekend of 2 March 2019.
Draw The draw for the quarter-finals took place at Victoria Park on 11 February 2019 following the Ross County v Inverness Caledonian Thistle match live on BBC Two Scotland.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the semi-finals.
PremiershipChampionshipAberdeen Celtic Heart of Midlothian Hibernian RangersDundee United Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle
Matches
Replays
Semi-finals
The semi-finals took place on the weekend of 13 April 2019.
Draw The draw for the semi-finals took place at Firhill Stadium on 4 March 2019 during 'The Nine' live on BBC Scotland.
Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the final.
PremiershipChampionshipAberdeen Celtic Heart of MidlothianInverness Caledonian Thistle
Matches
Final
The final was played on 25 May 2019 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Bracket The following is the bracket which the Scottish Cup resembled. Numbers in parentheses next to the match score represent the results of a replay, and numbers in parentheses next to the replay score represents the results of a penalty shoot-out.
Media coverage From round four onwards, selected matches from the Scottish Cup are broadcast live in the UK and Ireland by BBC Scotland and Premier Sports (EIR Sport in the Republic of Ireland). BBC Scotland has the option to show two ties per round, with Premier Sports also showing two ties per round; Premier Sports show both semi-finals live with one of them also on BBC Scotland, and both channels screen the final live.
The following matches are to be broadcast live on UK television: Round BBC Scotland Premier Sports Fourth Round Auchinleck Talbot v Ayr United Heart of Midlothian v Livingston Cowdenbeath v Rangers Celtic v Airdrieonians Fifth Round Aberdeen v Queen of the South Ross County v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Kilmarnock v Rangers Celtic v St Johnstone Rangers v Kilmarnock (replay) (delayed coverage) (also on FreeSports) Quarter-Finals Dundee United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle v Heart of Midlothian Hibernian v Celtic Aberdeen v Rangers Rangers v Aberdeen (replay) (delayed coverage) Semi-Finals Heart of Midlothian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Heart of Midlothian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Aberdeen v Celtic FinalHeart of Midlothian v Celtic
References