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FINTONA Swifts manager Ryan Welsh will be reminding his players that “anything can happen in the cup” when they lock horns with the fancied Enniskillen Rangers in the third round of the fonaCAB Irish Junior Cup at Ecclesville Park on Saturday.
Four-time winners Rangers are again among the favourites to win the prestigious knockout competiion outright, a fact underlined by the 12-0 drubbing of Belfast Celtic Reserves in the last round.
On Saturday Michael Kerr’s team also hit six of the best against struggling Mountjoy United in a F&W Division One league game with striker Mark Cutler netting on four occasions.
It goes without saying that Rangers will be firm favourites to advance but Welsh will demand that, if his players go down, they don’t go down without a fight.
“If we can produce some of the football we have recently then we’ll definitely give them a good game,” he said.
“We have been slow starters in the last couple of weeks and if we do that on Saturday we’ll get punished. But if we start well, then anything can happen on cup day.
“We’re looking forward to it. We played Enniskillen Town a couple of years ago in the cup, they went 1-0 up early in the game and controlled but it was a good fight from us.I’m expecting us to put up a fight.
“There is no pressure on us, the pressure is all on them. We’ll not be welcoming them here to watch them play; we’ll be getting stuck in from day one.
“I know they scored 12 in the last round but it’s hard to know what you are up against sometimes in the cup. And I suppose Mountjoy, who they beat on Saturday, aren’t going great guns at the minute either.
“We’re looking forward to it and, as I said, anything can happen.”
Last Saturday Swifts warmed up for the third round clash with an eye-catching 3-2 victory over Augher Stars at the Augher Playing Fields.
A total of 13 Fermanagh and Western League sides are in action on Saturday with two-time winners Strathroy Harps hosting Ballybot United while beaten finalists in 2019 Tummery Athletic have home advantage against Sandy Hill.
Elsewhere Augher Stars entertain Foyle Wanderers, Dunbreen Rovers host Ahoghill Thistle, while Ardstraw travel to Portrush. Killen Rangers, Castlederg United and Dergview Reserves are away to Hillsborough Boys, FC Mindwell and Mossley seconds respectively.
All ties kick-off at 1.30pm and will be played to a finish with extra-time and penalties if required.
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