The Highland Executive held their AGM last Saturday and the draw for the ever popular Highland Amateur Cup was made.

This seasons competition has 65 teams, the same as 2007, therefore once again we have one prelim tie in the North Section. The other sections for this season are South, Orkney and Western Isles. The 1st round games will be confined, then the 2nd round sees the Orkeny teams join the south and north section, then for the 3rd round the competition becomes open when the 3 Western Isle teams makes up the last 16. The reason for keeping the western isles out until the 3rd round is due to travel difficulties for the mainland teams prior to summer ferrry timetable starting.

Last season’s winner Avoch start the quest for three in a row with a home game against Kyleakin from Skye. Elsewhere in the South Section draw the pick of the ties will most likely be the game between Fortrose and Dingwall Thistle.

Last years runners up Point from the Isle of Lewis were handed a tricky 1st round game as they entertain Stornoway Athletic. Three times winners Lochs have an away trip to play Westside and another interesting tie from the Western Isles section sees an all Uist & Barra encounter with North Uist United hosting Benbecula.

In the large North Section of the draw five times winners Pentland United have an early tricky prelim tie away to North West Sutherland side Tongue United, with Thurso Pentland waiting in the next round for the winners. Other ties from the North Section sees last years beaten semi finalists John O’Groats travel south to play Sutherland side Brora Wanderers. Other Caithness sides on their travels are Thurso Swifts, Wick Rovers and Top Joes who all must venture west to take on West Sutherland sides.  Top dogs from Sutherland, Golspie Stafford have a home tie against Wick Groats, but game of the day in Sutherland could well be the local derby between Embo and Dornoch City. The pick of the games from the North will most likely be in Wick as 2001 winners Thistle play hosts to Thurso Acks.

Up in Orkney the pick of the ties looks like being the Kirkwall derby between Rovers and Hotspurs. St.Andrews has a difficult home game against Thorfinn and Dounby Athletic should progress against Kirkwall United.

Copyright 2008 Highland Amateur Cup

Link: http://www.hacup.co.uk/