Willow aim to advance in midland derby clash

IF Willow Park are to continue progressing in this year's FAI Junior Cup then they are going to have to do it the hard way. The Athlone side disposed of last year's finalists St Peter's in the opening round of the competition, beating Michael Collins' side 3-2 in an enthralling contest. Now, if Willow are to keep progressing in the Combined Counties/Carlow/Kildare section, they have to see off a good Mullingar Athletic side at Gainstown on Saturday evening (kick-off: 7pm). Mullingar Athletic are widely recognised as the third best team in the Combined Counties League and possibly the only side capable of pushing both Willow Park and St Peter's all the way. Indeed, Mullingar had St Peter's on the ropes a couple of weeks ago, leading 1-0 approaching the latter stages of a league game, when indiscipline - reportedly sparked by the award of a very controversial penalty kick - saw several Mullingar players sent off and the game eventually had to be abandoned in the closing stages with St Peter's leading 2-1. Mullingar would not usually be indisciplined and must be acknowledged as a serious threat to Willow's ambitions of having a long run in this year's junior cup. Willow Park manager Tony O'Sullivan is very much aware of Athletic's potential prowess. "We have a fairly good record against Mullingar Athletic in recent years but they're a very good side and play some really nice football at times," said the Willow boss. "They drew away to Portlaoise last weekend but we really saw what they're capable of against St Peter's until that game turned into a fiasco. They have some good players, the likes of Kevin Keegan, and we know we have to be at our best over there," added O'Sullivan. Willow's form this season is pretty impeccable though, with no losses under their belt after ten games in all competitions. O'Sullivan's side have also netted an impressive 29 goals in eight league matches and conceded just three times. Experienced players Colin Fortune and Ronan Frawley are doubtful for Saturday's game, with both currently nursing slight groin strains, and Frawley seems the more likely to make Saturday's game. Craig Tone, who scored the winning goal in the last round against St Peter's, also missed last weekend's 6-1 league win over Melville Utd but looks set to return to the fold against Athletic. Brian Frawley, who has missed several weeks through injury, made a welcome return to action with Willow's B team last weekend and got a valuable 90 minutes. He seems unlikely to come back into the side at this stage but will probably take a place on the bench on Saturday. O'Sullivan said: "We are playing very well at the moment and I can't complain too much. But this is a cup game and anything can happen. We have to be switched on from the start and hopefully we can continue our cup run. It's a competition we want to do well in and I think we have to ability to progress far in it." Also in action in the second round of the FAI Junior Cup this weekend are Melville Utd and Monksland Utd. Melville entertain Stradbally Town in Sarsfield Park on Sunday (2pm) while Monksland Utd, currently blazing a trial at the top of the Combined Counties Premier Division (second tier), travel to Clonaslee Utd.