Willow and Peter"s handed plum draws

Both Willow Park and St Peter"s have been handed plum draws in the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup Sixth Round. Reigning Combined Counties League champions Willow Park sealed a place in the sixth round thanks to a 3-2 away win at Greystones (Wicklow) last Saturday, with Aidan Hyland grabbing the important winning goal for the Athlone side. Benny Magennis and Mark McConnell were Willow"s other scorers on the day. And Willow have been rewarded with an attractive home draw against Waterford Bohemians in the next round. Meanwhile, St Peter"s - regarded as the biggest challengers to Willow Park"s Combined Counties title defence this year - will travel to the 2005 junior cup winners Westport Utd. The present Westport side includes former Athlone Town player Ray McLoughlin and both ties are pencilled in for the week-ending February 1. Willow Park have already gone a step further than they managed last season, when Clonmel Town eliminated them at the fifth round stage of last year"s competition. Willow manager Tony O"Sullivan knows his side face a tough ask against Waterford Bohemians, who last won the FAI Junior Cup in 1996 and have reached the final on three occasions. 'Waterford Bohs are one of the tougher sides in the draw but I"m pleased it"s at home. A lot of the top teams are playing each other in the sixth round, so you never know how far we could go if we can get past Waterford Bohs, but it"s going to be a tough one,' said O"Sullivan, whose Willow side are also on the road this weekend when they travel to AUL Division One side O"Devaney Dunard in the fifth round (last 32) of the LFA Junior Cup. Carrick Utd are the holders of the FAI Junior Cup and have been drawn against 2006 losing finalists Athenry in the sixth round. Among the well known faces in the Willow ranks this season include former Athlone Town players Brian Frawley, Alan Kelly and Robert Shine, while the likes of Aidan Hyland, Gary McHugh and Mark Nicholson also play major roles. St Peter"s, who are currently five points behind Willow (with a game less played) at the top of the Combined Counties League, are managed by ex-Athlone Town stalwart Michael Collins and include former League of Ireland players Adrian Carberry, Stephen Mullan, Mark Sherlock and Tom Silke. Other important performers for the Connaught-side club include winger David Donoghue and goalscorer Brian Caldwell. With Willow Park in LFA Junior Cup action, St Peter"s have a chance to bridge the gap on the pace setters when they make the journey to fifth placed Clonaslee Utd this weekend.