Route to the final
The competition is a knock-out tournament and was contested by 56 teams from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2017–18. [2] Two teams from the Republic of Ireland were added to the competition in 2017–18, [2] following the addition of teams from Wales and Northern Ireland in 2016–17. [3]
Those participating were the 30 clubs that played in the 2017–18 Championship, League One and League Two of the Scottish Professional Football League along with the top four teams from the 2016–17 Highland and Lowland Leagues. The top two teams from the 2016–17 Welsh Premier League and 2016–17 NIFL Premiership and the U20s squads of the teams competing in the 2016–17 Premiership were also invited to compete. [2] Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers, as the League of Ireland's highest-ranked non-European participants in 2016, were also invited. [2]
Dumbarton
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Rangers Under-20s (h) | 2–1 |
| Second round |  Connah's Quay Nomads (h) | 2–1 ( a.e.t. ) |
| Third round | Stranraer (h) | 2–1 |
| Quarter-final | Raith Rovers (h) | 2–0 |
| Semi-final | The New Saints (a) | 2–1 |
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Inverness received a bye to the second round, as the team that had finished 12th in the 2016–17 Scottish Premiership.
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Second round | Aberdeen Under-20s (a) | 4–2 |
| Third round | Peterhead (h) | 3–0 |
| Quarter-final | Falkirk (h) | 1–0 |
| Semi-final |  Crusaders (h) | 3–2 |
