John McGlynn was delighted his clinical Falkirk side denied Darvel the chance to again become Scottish Cup shock troops with a 5-1 win at Recreation Park.
The non-league outfit from Ayrshire captured the imagination of the country with their 1-0 home win over cinch Premiership side Aberdeen in the fourth round but found the Bairns an altogether different proposition.
Two goals in two minutes midway through the first half through striker Gary Oliver and Callumn Morrison had the League One side in control.
Darvel pulled a goal back when Bairns goalkeeper PJ Morrison turned an Ian McShane cross into his own net before the game turned back Falkirk’s way in the 77th minute when Craig McGowan was sent off by referee Willie Collum for a second yellow card offence for a foul on Aidan Nesbitt.
Liam Henderson soon headed in a third and then further goals from Nesbitt and substitute Craig McGuffie set up a home quarter-final tie against Championship side Ayr United.
McGlynn, who admitted a cup run will be “a massive help to the football club” in terms of finance, said: “There was a lot of pressure on us coming here tonight.
“We didn’t make much of that before the game, but everyone is coming here tonight looking for an upset and a shock.
“From my point of view I’m delighted that didn’t happen.
“There was a lot of noise and rightly so because Darvel have done remarkably well.
“We respected it by making sure our build-up for the game and preparation was spot on.
“We knew what we had to do to win the game and I’m pleased that happened.
“I thought that we started the game well and put them under pressure and the two quick goals midway through the first half knocked the stuffing out of them a little bit.
“I thought they had a little bit of a rally towards the end of the first half and then we were in control second half.
“They got a goal back and it’s game on obviously. But I felt we could still go on and score goals and we scored some good goals as well.
“We had five different goalscorers and capitalised on them going down to 10 men with a couple of late goals.
“But fair play to Darvel. Over the piece they have been different class in this tournament and while we are delighted to be through, plaudits to Darvel for the way that they played and we wish them well going forward in the league.”
Darvel boss Mick Kennedy insisted that there were so many positives to take from the cup run.
He said: “It’s been astonishing. For a club at our level to get this far is absolutely astonishing.
“And also to push Falkirk this far for long spells before we go down to 10 men, it’s an astonishing achievement from the players and everyone connected with the club.
“Now it’s about picking everybody up and focusing on the journey that lies ahead.
“This is about us showing we can be at that level, proving to the town and supporters that if they get behind us we can achieve remarkable things. This cup journey has shown that.
“We just need to move forward now. My job is to pick everybody back up, then we focus on football on Saturday.”
