Published: Wednesday, 11th November, 2009 4:50pm

Willow hope to continue junior cup adventure

AN interesting Midlands derby pits Combined Counties kingpins Willow Park against Offaly's Clara Town in the third round of the coveted FAI Junior Cup this coming Sunday (Stanley O'Hara Park, Clara, 2pm).

Athlone side Willow Park will be almost every observer's favourites to overcome Clara for many different reasons.

Recently, Willow defeated Clara comfortably in the league (4-0) and their form over the campaign this year has been flawless, going twelve games undefeated in all competitions since the beginning of the season.

Also, Clara are finding it much more difficult to compete to their traditionally high standards in the last few years and have won just twice in nine league games to date. Martin Devine's side have also been unfortunate in the sense that two potentially important players, Peter Flanagan and Colm Fitzpatrick, both sustained cruciate knee ligament injuries recently.

Neither side had a league game last weekend due to the inclement weather conditions but Willow manager Tony O'Sullivan, who has already watched his side eliminate St Peter's (last year's finalists) and Mullingar Athletic from this season's FAI Junior Cup, believes his team is in great condition going into the Clara tie.

"It's fair to say our squad is stronger than last season and it's getting difficult to pick the team every week, but that's a decent problem for a manager," said O'Sullivan.

"We have been talking about doing well in the FAI Junior Cup for the last couple of years and I feel we're well equipped to do something this season. We reached the last 32 last season before losing to Waterford Bohs on penalties but we weren't killing teams off back then. I think we're much better in that respect now. Clara have been struggling a bit this season but will be up for the game on Sunday. I expect them to be stronger than when we beat them 4-0 recently," he added.

At time of going to print, Willow were reporting no injury problems, with experienced striker Brian Frawley now fit enough to be considered after a frustratingly long issue with a groin problem.

Clara manager Martin Devine also admits the size of the task awaiting his players is massive.

"It's a total understatement to say we're facing a difficult or tough game," he said.

"It's a huge task to play and beat Willow Park at the moment.

But I believe we always have the ability to raise our game on special occasions and hopefully it will happen on Sunday. We can only give it our best shot and that's what the lads will do. Our heads seem to drop when we concede silly goals and we have to get that out of our game. Let's hope that Willow have a slightly off day and we play to our very best," added Devine, who will look to his son and former Athlone Town striker, Gary, for inspiration in the final third of the field.

Elsewhere in the third round of the cup this weekend, local rivals Melville Utd and Monksland Utd clash at Sarsfield Park on Sunday (2pm).

Despite Melville now playing a division above Monksland, plenty of local football observers have been hugely impressed by Monksland's rip-roaring start to the season (they have won all seven of their league matches) and fancy them to possibly upset Melville.

Melville's form has been somewhat patchy and they have nine points from eleven league outings in the top Combined Counties division.

Of potentially huge significance though, is that Melville are permitted to play this weekend's match at their traditional home in Sarsfield Park, unlike in the league where they are forced to play home matches at Athlone IT due to league rules relating to ground suitability for top flight matches.

Melville are usually an extremely tough proposition in Sarsfield Park and this will obviously benefit their players going into such an important tie.