The SJFA’s bush telegraph has been alive with the near constant toing and froing of predictions ever since Hampden Park staged the Quarter Final draw for the Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup back in early December.
And little wonder after record Cup winners Auchinleck Talbot’s elimination in the last round (beaten on penalty kicks by arch rivals Cumnock) put paid to the school of thought that Tommy Sloan’s men were racing certainties to go on and rack up a 15th success in the showpiece competition.
Describing the state of play existing with Talbot out of the way as a `wide open field` is understandable and has sparked a few hefty wagers by more optimistic supporters among the eight teams still standing, seven of whom hail from West of Scotland parts leaving Dundee East Craigie as the exception.
Yet another special case among their number is wizened Hurlford United gaffer Darren Henderson who has the distinction of being the only one among the last eight’s team managers to have previously laid hands on the Holy Grail silverware after steering his Ayrshire club to a 3-0 victory over Glenafton in the 2014 Final.
Indeed (and I haven’t tested the water on this statement) Hendo’s achievements in the Junior Cup surely ranks as second only to his one-time Stranraer team mate Sloan among current day team bosses , given that he also steered Hurlford to the Final again in 2018 (a 3-2 beating from Auchinleck) while tomorrow’s Blair Park locking of horns with Cumnock has him bidding to make a 6th semi-final appearance in the past eight years.
A quite phenomenal accomplishment it must be said yet last night Darren was at pains to insist neither this feat nor having the capability to tap into the experience of two survivors from the 2014 Cup win …Chris Robertson and Paul McKenzie…will have a bearing on Saturday’s outcome.
“Our tie will almost certainly be decided on the day” said Hendo, unmistakably sounding as if he was erring on the side of caution after Hurlford’s preparations for the crunch Cup clash suffered further disruption on the back of last weekend’s confidence denting 4-0 defeat by Pollok.
“On reflection, it was a game we could have done without and not just because of the result” he reflected.
“I don’t want this to sound as sour grapes so for the record a good Pollok side fully deserved their victory but it would be remiss of me not to point out that everything that could go wrong for my guys went wrong…and then some.
“Our goalkeeper Martin McDonald pulling up with a muscle strain during the warm-up that necessitated a change to our team lines was a blow but unbelievably we were forced into altering them again just minutes later when Craig Reid was left limping after going over on his ankle .
“Bad enough to have two key players ruled out before a ball was kicked in anger however it only rubbed salt in the wounds to be left with only 9 men to see out the game after frustrations boiled over in the second half and both our captain Paul McKenzie and Liam Miller suffered double yellow card dismissals.”
Hendo’s saving grace is that neither of his errant sinners is suspended for the Cumnock game however the news is nowhere near as encouraging on the injury front as both McDonald and Reid were deemed unable to train on Monday night, and along with defender Sam Lidington , are facing a struggle to be passed fit .
If all three fail to pass muster then Hendo’s midweek swoop to strengthen his playing arm through the acquisition of recently released Forfar Athletic striker Josh Jack (son of former Shettleston midfielder Alan ) could lead to a proverbial baptism of fire for the 22 year old.
The gaffer revealed ,”Josh has never played at this level before and will have no concept what the Junior Cup is all about other than through conversations with his Dad.
“Throwing him straight in would therefore be a gamble and I’d much prefer to bed youngsters in gently but he has a surprise element about him that could work in our favour particularly as the teams know each other so well from two earlier meetings this season.
“I could probably pick 9 or 10 of Gints’ preferred line up (Cumnock boss Brian McGinty) and he could do the same with mine.”
Hurlford were 3-1 winners when the sides met at Blair Park back in August while only last month, a hard fought 0-0 stalemate prevailed between them at Townhead Park.
“ Both teams tend to play better at home so we simply have to make that advantage tell tomorrow and more so because the game is played to a finish ” said a thoughtful i Hendo.
DARREN LOOKING FORWARD TO SCOTTISH TIE
Cumnock’s arrival at the Quarter-Final stage has been helped no end by their shoot-out expertise (they also beat 2nd round opponents Ashfield on pens after a 1-1 draw) and team boss McGinty reckons another “right to the wire” contest is in the offing.
He insisted,” There’s nothing between Hurlford and ourselves on the evidence of our head to heads this season and both defences give so little away that I’m willing to bet the Cup tie is going to be every bit as close to call.
“If it does come down to a half chance here or there then we have an ace up our sleeve in Jordan Moore who bagged a hat trick against Troon last Saturday and is arguably the Premier Division’s in-form striker with 20 goals to his name already .
“ He is selfless in terms of his willingness to get into scoring areas and yes he’s prone to missing a few sitters like he did last week but he’s the type who doesn’t shun away from making the runs to put himself on the spot again.
“He’s a good lad with an appetite for hard work and we’re lucky to have him.”
Gints who has two former Junior Cup winners of his own among his playing charges in Kyle McAusland (ex-Glenafton) and Jamie Wilson ex-(Beith) reckons the game might be coming too soon for another potential ace in his pack, busy front man Jamie Conn.
He surmised “ Jamie’s been out injured a long time with a broken metatarsal and is champing at the bit to be involved again but getting the better of Hurlford is going to require all my guys to perform at their maximum and I worry he’s not quite at that level… yet? “
Another intriguing last eight tie sees Ayrshire’s other Cup hopeful Glenafton ,trophy winners in 2017, take to the road to face relative Third Division minnows Bellshill Athletic.
Glens gaffer Ryan Stevenson’s determination to avoid a repeat of last Saturday’s 2-3 elimination from the South Challenge Cup at the hands of First Division outfit Drumchapel United has brought about a shuffling of his dressing room pack and the shock transfer listing of midfield general James “Jambo” McKernon now a definite non-starter at Rockburn Park much to the surprise of home team co-boss Dean Muir.
Said the 42 year old former Bellshill player ,” Myself and Neil Rowatt have watched Glenafton recently and we had marked down the middle of the park partnership of Jambo and Paul Paton as one of their strengths.
“We may have to tweak our own game plan accordingly but not significantly because Bellshill are rated no-hopers going into this game so we have nothing to lose in having a real go at Glenafton.”
Dean, enjoyed three separate playing stints with Bellshill under the respective and highly regarded managements of Rab Sneddon, Tommy Coyne and Colin Mitchell/Ian Penman yet his furthest run in the Scottish Junior Cup came later in his career when Willie Harvey lured him away to become one of Rutherglen Glencairn’s beaten semi-finalists (by Auchinleck).
Deano reminisced, “ A decent Scottish run fires up a club and I have great memories of the excitement felt before the Talbot double header and I have to say there’s definite rumblings of a similar buzz around Bellshill this season.
“ We tore up the form book to knock out Kilbirnie Ladeside in the last round and are capable of doing the same to Glenafton but only if our guys are at the top of their game and theirs aren’t .
“The Glens top scorer Hugh Kerr picking up an injury when we watched them and being rated doubtful for the Cup tie was clearly a blow to them however it speaks volumes about the different levels of the two clubs when Glenafton simply snapped up the prolific Ayr United marksman Michael Moffat as his replacement.”
By way of comparison, Deano has set his stall out around first season Junior striker Kieron Markey proving a handful for long in the tooth Glens defensive cornerstone Craig Pettigrew .
He lauded , “ Kieron has it in him to upset the best defences and he gave Kilbirnie’s backline an uncomfortable afternoon however we must remember he was in the amateur ranks not so long ago .
“Gary Elliot brought in Kieron and an entire local amateur side when the club was going through a bad time which in all probability saved Bellshill from going under so wouldn’t it be fitting if we could claim a semi-final spot for him.”
DEAN IN HIS BELLSHILL PLAYING DAYS
In the remaining ties , First Division promotion contenders Rutherglen Glencairn are strongly tipped to overcome Bellshill’s fellow Third Division survivors Larkhall Thistle .
And having to journey through to Gasworks Park for their last eight date should pose few concerns for Mick O’Byrne & Co , not when they have already won on the road in all their previous round triumphs over Greenock, Tayport and Gartcairn respectively.
And were any of Glens players to dare foster feelings of complacency going up against the lower league side (Willie Harvey wouldn’t allow it ) then a timely warning was served up last week when the Ru’Glonians endured a first defeat in nine outings , a 1-0 loss to Benburb…the one and the same hailing from Govan Bens who were knocked out of the Junior Cup by…you’ve guessed it Larkhall Thistle.
Last but not least in the Cup round up is the meeting of unfancied Dundee East Craigie and last season’s beaten quarter finalists Shotts Bon Accord (Auchinleck again) up on Tayside.
Shotts gaffer John McKeown paid the East Region outfit due respect by taking in their victory over Tayport last week and admits he came away suitably impressed with their shape and playing style.
Big Ruggy revealed ,” They are a relatively young side containing several players who have accumulated Senior experience at clubs in the surrounding area and as you might expect they play neat, passing football and look to retain possession all over the pitch
“East Craigie are nobody’s pushovers and have a decent playing surface which lends itself to the way they go about their business and I got the sense their supporters are feeling extremely confident about going further in the Cup.
He added “ And you can bet they won’t be quaking in their boots at the prospect of taking on a West of Scotland side ,not when they’ve already accounted for St Rochs and Cambuslang Rangers in earlier rounds so make no mistake, we’re in for a game of it.”
His Shotts side have experienced a sticky patch of late and went down to a third defeat in their last four matches when on the wrong end of a 4-0 pasting by Dundonald Bluebell last week so McKeown is desperate for a return to their early season winning ways.
“We do well when our heads are on it but unfortunately that’s not been the case of late and I’m hoping the Scottish will get us back on track .” said the Bon Accord boss whose full back Dean Sutherland is ruled out with a virus.
He said “ Guys such as Taylor Evans , Chris Meikle ,Ally Martin, Craig Crawford played in the Auchinleck defeat so I’d like to think they will be motivated by having something to prove this time around.
“And if they needed any further incentive then they need look no further than putting on their best for the four busloads of supporters containing parents and youngsters from our Youth set up who are making the trip.”
Meanwhile, the last 16 survivors in this season’s South Challenge Cup discovered their next up opponents earlier this week when the 5th Round ties were pulled from the hat.
Long held opinions as to whether WoSFL clubs are stronger than their Lowland League counterparts are set to be reinforced( or not) in the head to heads of Clydebank v Stirling University and Gartcairn v Tranent as well as the intriguing clash of reigning trophy holders Auchinleck Talbot against East Kilbride F.C.
The full draw is as follows,
Clydebank v Stirling University,
Auchinleck Talbot v East Kilbride,
Threave Rovers v Caledonian Braves,
Cumnock v Sauchie,
Maryhill v Kilwinning Rangers,
Drumchapel Utd v Vale of Clyde,
Gartcairn v Tranent,
Newtongrange Star/Dundonald Bluebell v Spartans
Ties to be played Saturday 4th March
WEEKEND GAMES: (Kick Offs 2PM unless stated): Scottish Junior Cup.Quarter Finals. Hurlford Utd vCumnock, Bellshill Athletic v Glenafton, Larkhall Thistle v Rutherglen Glencairn, Dundee East Craigie v Shotts Bon Accord, Buildbase Premier Division. Irvine Meadow v Cambuslang Rangers, Auchinleck Talbot v Pollok, Largs Thistle v Arthurlie, Troon v Rob Roy, Kilwinning Rangers v Beith, Clydebank v Petershill.PDM Buildbase First Division. Bonnyton Thistle v Thorniewood Utd ,Gartcairn v Neilston, Cumbernauld Utd v Whitletts Vics,St Cadocs v Kilbirnie Ladeside,Blantyre Vics v Johnstone Burgh, Rossvale v St Rochs, Drumchapel Utd v Benburb. PDM Buildbase Second Division. Maybole v Craigmark, Glasgow Perthshire v Maryhill,St Anthonys v Ashfield, Wishaw v Glasgow Utd, Ardeer Thistle v Forth Wanderers, Kilsyth Rangers v Yoker Athletic , Glasgow University v Renfrew (Friday 8PM), Maybole v Craigmark. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Lugar Boswell v Royal Albert, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Irvine Vics,Port Glasgow v East Kilbride Thistle, Lanark Utd v Kello Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Carluke Rovers,Vale of Clyde v Vale of Leven, Girvan v Saltcoats Vics v Lesmahagow,Newmains Utd v Girvan. PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. Campbeltown Pupils v St Peters, Easterhouse FA v Threave Rovers, West Park Utd v BSC Glasgow, Thorn Athletic v Harmony Row,, Kilsyth Athletic v Rossvale Academy,Glenvale v Eglinton .
Regards
Jim O’Donnell
About Author
More Stories
ARTHURLIE LEFT IT OH SO LATE
ONLY PERFECTION WILL DO FOR PAUL
BILLY CAN TELL A TALL TALE