A BLOCKBUSTER tie in the Junior game's showpiece competition in is in prospect next month when North Ayrshire rivals Beith and Kilwinning go head to-head for a place in the ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup final.

The mouthwatering semi-final was drawn on Tuesday afternoon and will be played over two legs, the first at Bellsdale Park on Saturday, April 9 or Sunday, April 10 and the second at Abbey Park the following weekend.

It's an intriguing contest, with Buffs having beaten Beith in their last three meetings with the Garnock Valley side looking to make amends.

It has not yet been decided whether the ties will be played on the Saturdays or the Sunday, although Beith president John Boal says he would prefer the Saturdays.

In the other last four tie clash the winners from two seasons ago, Hurlford United host Pollok in the opening match with the return game at Newlandsfield Park on the same weekend.

Buffs blasted into the semi-finals with a 4-1 win in Saturday's quarter-final replay at Camelon, while Beith overcame Arthurlie 3-1 at home a week past on Saturday

Beith coach Derek Rhoddan, standing in for holidaying manager Johnny Millar admits it's a tie he had hoped to avoid,

He said: "To be honest I would rather have one of the Premier League teams as there are no surprises with them. The Buffs have our number and our only home loss was against them in the Ardagh Cup this season. They have plenty of pace and midfielder Liam McGuiness is a fantastic player and their striker Bryan Boylan is a goalscorer with electric pace. Kilwinning had a fantastic result at Camelon and It will be tough but hopefully thing will go for us and we get through but it will be extremely tough. We have to break our duck sometimes against them. I can't wait for the tie. Buffs have have a great mix of youth and experience and are big and strong all over the park. But we are on form and had a really good win away to Glenafton Athletic at the weekend and will be looking to beat Pollok at home on Saturday."

Buffs boss Chris Strain Jnr is relishing the clash and said: "It should be is a cracking tie between two good teams who like to play attacking football. Beith are on a good run. We look forward to it and will hopefully go through."

Strain was delighted with is team's display at Camelon and added: "I thought the boys were sensational. They learned from their mistakes from last weekend and that's the sign of the intelligence of the team. We stepped up to the plate and we bossed the game from start to finish and our work rate was immense."