Preview SFA Youth Cup

On Sunday 24th March, Dunfermline U20s take on St Mirren in the semi final of this season's SFA Youth Cup. The Pars have the advantage of a home draw.

On Sunday 24th March, Dunfermline U20s take on St Mirren in the semi final of this season's SFA Youth Cup. The Pars have the advantage of a home draw and so the match will kick off at East End Park at 1.00pm.

These sides have already met twice this season in the SPL U20s league. St Mirren won their home game 4-1 back in October in what Pars coach described as his side's worst performance of the season. Last Thursday night the return game was going their way 1-0 up with quarter of an hour remaining but the young Pars rallied to run out 3-1 winners.

The Paisley Saints have played every game in the SFA Youth Cup away from home so Sunday is no different for them. They needed extra time to get past Stenhousemuir in the Third Round, their fourth round needed a penalty shoot out against Falkirk and their quarter final was slightly more straight forward - a 3-1 win.

The Pars have beaten off the challenge of the SPL highlanders. A 2-0 win at Dingwall and a 3-2 success in the quarter final over Inverness Caley Thistle sandwiched a much easier tie against Montrose. Montrose had already been knocked out but gained a reprieve after their conquerors Annan Athletic were thrown out for fielding an ineligible player. Dunfermline overran them 10-0.

League Stats

When teams last met - Thursday 14th March

DUNFERMLINE: Michal Hrivnak; Grant Munro (Andy Ritchie 17), Kerr Young, Lewis Martin, Jack Bruce; Scott Mercer, Shaun Byrne (Scott Campbell 72), Finn Graham, Fayssal El Bahktaoui (Ross Drummond 79); Blair Henderson, Allan Smith
SUBS NOT USED:  Declan O'Kane; Lewis Spence, Scott Gray.
SCORERS: Smith (75), Henderson (82 pen.), Mercer (87).

ST MIRREN: Grant Adam; Mark Williams, Sean Kelly, Adam Brown, Lee Mair (Jordan Holt HT), Darren McGregor (Ross Meechan 62), Lewis McLear, Mo Yaqub, Jack Smith, Jon Scullion (Michael Fulton 86), Anton Brady.
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran Hughes (GK), Jordan Stewart, Declan Hughes.
SCORER: Williams (55)

 
Alex Whittle                                                     Chris Kane

Only those players born on or after 1st January 1993 are eligible to participate in the competition.  For the Youth Cup that means Ryan Goodfellow will replace 22 year old Slovakian keeper Michal Hrivnak and coach John Potter will have the happy problem of selecting a team that could be augmented by those who have played first team football this season. That includes Ross Millen, Chris Kane and Alex Whittle.

Referee

Referee for the semi final will be Lorraine Clark, the Fife Council worker has made football history by becoming the first woman to officiate in a match at Ibrox back in January. Lorraine comes from Thornton, has been a referee for 10 years and was an assistant at the Rangers v Berwick Rangers game..

The 27-year-old, an electrical engineer in property services with Fife Council, was recently promoted to the FIFA list of referees. She is a regular official at junior games and hopes eventually for a role in the Scottish Premier League.