Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fed can end North interest in GA Cup
THERE is a mixture of cup football and league action on offer this weekend with seven local clubs involved in the quarter-finals of the GA Engineering Cup.
Not for the first time, the competition is dominated by Tayside clubs with North hopes resting with Hermes, who travel to Whitton Park to face Broughty Athletic.
The Fed will be favourites to go through, particularly with home advantage, but manager Keith Gibson will take nothing for granted and admits they will have to be at their best to reach the semi-finals.
He said: “Hermes have already beaten Jeanfield and Forfar WE in cup competitions this season and that must tell you something.
“But we will be prepared for them in what is sure to be a tough game for us. However, the incentive of reaching a semifinal will, hopefully, spur us on.”
The good news for Gibson is Jamie Winter is fit but Brian Clark, Danny Cavanagh and Jake Mair are still out.
There is a local derby at Glenesk where Violet play host to East Craigie and this is a difficult one to call.
Normally a team playing in a higher league would start as favourites but, as the Shipbuilders showed when they beat Lochee United in an earlier round, they are more than capable of causing upsets.
With the Pansies struggling at the foot of the Premier League, Craigie will fancy their chances of going through.
However, Ralph Henderson’s side will be equally determined and will be hoping a win will give them a boost for the difficult league matches that lie ahead.
Craigie have a full pool available but the Pansies will be without Scott Robertson, who is cup-tied.
North League leaders Kirrie Thistle are favourites to book a place i n t he semi-finals against guests Lochee Harp.
Thistle gaffer Jim Finlayson, however, is not counting any chickens.
He said: “They may be in the lower half of the table but they always give you a hard game. In fact, even though we beat them 4-2, it was one of toughest games of the season.”
Finlayson again has a full squad available.
Harp boss Michael Gormley has Sam McDonald available again but Derryn Kesson is suspended and Connaire Connelly is cup-tied.