MORTON boss Davie Irons praised his team despite watching them succumb to Killie's superior quality.

THE Cappielow outfit gave a good account of themselves but the gulf between SPL and first division told in the end.

Morton were also unfortunate to run into Kevin Kyle who is bang on form again and celebrated his Scotland recall with a clinching goal at the death.

Irons was realistic in his post-match assessment. He said: "I felt we equipped ourselves very well but we lacked a wee bit of quality at times and Kevin Kyle is a real menace.

"We matched them all over the park although they had the better chances.

"It was unfortunate when Allan Jenkins' attempted clearance went wrong at their second goal as we were doing well at that point.

"The important thing for us is to concentrate on doing well in the first division as that is where it counts for us.

"We have a big game to look forward to at Partick on Saturday where we will look to bounce back from this." Morton may not have hit the thrilling heights of last season's 4-3 win at Hibernian in this competition but for long spells they did not look out of place against seasoned SPL opponents.

The Cappielow side did well to go in level at 1-1 at the break and for the first 20 minutes after half-time they were posing serious problems for the Rugby Park side.

There was an encouraging early move for Morton when Peter Weatherson and Brian Graham linked up well to win a sixth minute corner.

From the quickly taken corner, McAlister played a one-two with Weatherson before weaving his way into the box and nut-megging Frazer Wright. The Ton winger managed to fire in a low shot that was saved comfortably by Alan Combe.

Killie forced a corner themselves on eight minutes but young Ryan McWilliams was impeded by Morrocan attacker Mehdi Taouil for a free kick.

Two minutes later the Morton keeper made a fine reaction save to thwart Kyle when Stewart Greacen's attempted clearance deflected off the former Sunderland striker's feet and raced towards the net.

However, in 26 minutes Morton's defence was finally undone with Kyle playing in Conor Sammon who was adjudged to have been impeded by McWilliams.

Referee Mike Tumilty pointed to the spot and Sammon fired a powerful right foot shot past the young keeper.

Weatherson, fresh from his two goals at Ayr on Saturday, fired a powerful, if slightly over-ambitious, shot just over from an acute angle in 34 minutes.

In the last minute of the first half Kevin Finlayson sent over a great cross for Graham who was blatantly impeded by Tim Clancy.

Ref Tumilty leveled up the penalty count before Ryan McGuffie leveled the scores by sending Combe the wrong way with a perfect penalty to the delight of the visiting supporters at the opposite end of the ground.

Joy almost turned to despair immediately when the unmarked Kyle missed a great chance in first half injury time.

There was nearly a dream start to the second period for the Greenock club two minutes after the restart when Jenkins made an exciting run before firing over a dangerous cross.

However, the in-rushing Graham was just unable to connect six yards out.

An attempted clearance by Jenkins merely bounced off his good pal and former boys club team-mate Kyle in 64 minutes.

The bustling striker capitalised by lobbing a cross to the back post where Sammon had a simple close range header to score his second and restore the home side's lead.

Sammon might have completed his hat-trick in 78 minutes but blazed over the bar after being put clean through by Kyle.

Morton were unable to take advantage of the lifeline and, despite battling all the way, there was no way back when Kyle produced a lethal finish in the dying seconds, his firm header from Skelton's cross sending the Rugby Park side into the last 16.

Kilmarnock: Combe; Clancy, Skelton, Hamill (Pascali 45), Wright, Ford, Bryson, Sammon, Kyle, Taouil, Invincibile (Fernandez 45). Subs Not Used : OLeary, Owens, Bell (GK) Booked : Skelton, Kyle Morton : McWilliams; McGuffie, Harding, McManus, Greacen, McFarlane (Wake 77), Finlayson (Paartalu 85), Jenkins, Graham, Weatherson, McAlister. Subs Not Used: McGregor, Monti, Wylie (GK) Booked: Finlayson, Paartalu Referee: Michael Tumility Attendance : 3645