The draw for the 2021/22 Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup has been revealed, with Buckie Thistle v Formartine United and Dyce Juniors v Hermes the pick of the first-round ties.
Delays thrown up by the Covid pandemic have the meant the 2020/21 edition of the Shire Cup is still only at the semi-final stage, with Keith and Fraserburgh’s clash over the weekend postponed due to positive cases at Kynoch Park, while Formartine United and Buckie Thistle are set to meet at North Lodge Park on Wednesday.
Buckie and Formartine will now get the chance to square off twice in two weeks after being drawn in the opening round of the 2021/22 competition at Victoria Park, with the ties set to take place on July 27 or 28 (8pm kick-offs) – just a few days after the Highland League season begins.
Dyce’s home tie against Hermes is an all-Junior affair, with the latter outfit set to play in the Aberdeenshire Cup for the first time.
The opening round will be completed by Turriff United v Inverurie Locos and Banks o’ Dee v Keith, with Huntly, Deveronvale, Fraserburgh and Aberdeen University all receiving byes to the second round.
Aberdeenshire and District Football Association secretary Willie Young, who oversaw a draw carried out by veteran journalist and Evening Express columnist Frank Gilfeather and Scottish Amateur golf champion and Curtis Cup hero Elaine Farquharson-Black, is hoping the competition for 2021/22 can run without any delays.
He said: “Covid has brought all sorts of problems to association football, but I am delighted we are getting the 2020/21 competition finished and there will be a good final.
“In respect of this coming year’s trophy, there’s some exciting ties and it was interesting the first names out of the hat were Buckie Thistle and Formartine United – who are already playing on Wednesday in a reverse fixture.
“The other one that’s interesting is Dyce versus Hermes, with Hermes being new to the competition and Dyce their Junior rivals.
“But they’re all good ties and I’m delighted Aberdeen University are back in the competition. They’ve got a tough draw playing 2019/20 holders Fraserburgh in the quarter-finals, but I’m sure they won’t be overawed in that, will put on a good performance and, who knows, football’s a funny game!”
The quarter-final ties of the coming season’s Shire Cup will be played on dates to be agreed in August – the same month it is hoped the 2020/21 final will be able to take place in front of a crowd – while the semi-final matches of the 2021/22 competition are scheduled to be played on August 31 or September 1.
The 2021/22 Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup draw in full:
First round:
Buckie Thistle v Formartine United;
Turriff United v Inverurie Locos;
Dyce Juniors v Hermes;
Banks o’ Dee v Keith
Quarter-finals:
Banks o’ Dee or Keith v Turriff United v Inverurie Locos;
Buckie Thistle or Formartine United v Huntly;
Deveronvale v Dyce Juniors or Hermes;
Fraserburgh v Aberdeen University
Semi-finals:
Buckie Thistle or Formartine United or Huntly v Deveronvale or Dyce Juniors or Hermes;
Fraserburgh or Aberdeen University v Banks o’ Dee or Keith or Turriff United or Inverurie Locos.