Date	Tuesday, 24 August 1999
Competition	Scottish Challenge Cup
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:0 Greenock Morton
Venue	Victoria Park
Attendance	1,030
Referee	Kevin Bisset
Comments	Match Report Report by Dave Edwards for the Press & Journal. Ross County 3 Greenock Morton 0 Ross County swept into the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup with a convincing win over First Division Morton. Former Don Brian Irvine was once again the darling of the home fans with a first-half goal. And in the second half a George Shaw penalty and Garry Wood header left 10-man Morton reeling. County handed a debut to 17-year-old skill-seeker Martin Canning, who replaced the suspended Craig Tully at right back. County fans were howling for a penalty after 22 minutes when Morton central defender John Anderson scrambled a dipping ball away with his chest. However, from the resultant corner kick the home fans really had something to shout about when Irvine volleyed home Roy McBain's cross for his fourth goal of the season. Morton were unlucky not to equalise on the half hour mark when Harry Curran's 12-yard volley crashed back off the crossbar. Morton were reduced to 10 men in the 50th minute when Curran received his marching orders for clipping Kenny Gilbert's heels with the midfielder in full flight. Three minutes later County's Wood picked up a yellow card for a foul on Anderson. In the 68th minute Ross County were awarded a penalty kick when Shaw ran onto a long McBain through ball and was about to round the keeper when Andy Millen bundled him over. Shaw dusted himself down before taking the spot-kick himself and firing the ball under Carlin to put County 2-0 up. Within 60 seconds of coming on to replace the injured John Fraser, Ross substitute Michael Geraghty was yellow carded for fouling Millen. Shaw almost bagged his second goal of the night but his eight-yard drive hit the post. Two minutes from time Ross County went 3-0 up when Wood nodded home Geraghty's cross from close range. In the dying seconds Wood thought he had added County's fourth and his own second but his flying header hit a post. County manager Neale cooper said: "We were well organised and disciplined and young Martin Canning made a fantastic debut. We picked up the 17-year-old from Clydebank and he's come in and looked the part." Cooper revealed that Irvine's first half goal came straight off the training ground. He joked: "We worked on that move this morning and gave up on it because Roy McBain kept mocking it up, but tonight it worked brilliantly."
Ross County
Manager	Neale Cooper
Starting 11	1: Joseph (Nicky) Walker, 2: Ian Maxwell, 3: Martin Canning, 4: Brian Irvine 1, 5: Kenneth Gilbert 1, 6: Steven Ferguson, 7: Roy McBain, 8: John Fraser, 9: Garry Wood 1, 10: George Shaw 1 (1 pen), 11: David Ross
Bench	0: Steven MacKay, 0: Michael Geraghty 1, 0: Kevin Finlayson
Greenock Morton
Manager	Billy Stark
Starting 11	Andy Carlin, Derek Anderson, David Murie, John Anderson 1, Andy Millen, Harry Curran 1, Stephen Aitken, Ross Matheson, Owen Archdeacon, Warren Hawke, Ian Ferguson
Bench	Bryan Slavin, Craig McPherson, Keith Wright