BEITH Juniors will travel to the banks of the Firth of Forth next month as Chris Strain’s men take the first step on the road to Hampden.

The reigning West of Scotland Premier Division champions were handed an away tie against East of Scotland League side Bo’ness Athletic when the draws for the two preliminary rounds of the senior Scottish Cup were made on Monday night.

Strain’s men will be hoping to match or better their achievement in last season’s tournament, when they saw off Carnoustie Panmure, Bonnyton Thistle and Lossiemouth before eventually losing at the hands of Broomhill in the second round proper.

Beith’s hosts for next month’s tie are managed by former Stirling Albion, Hibernian, Alloa and Berwick Rangers winger and ex Pollok boss Willie Irvine, and won the East of Scotland League’s Second Division title last season by a one-point margin after a season-long battle with Thornton Hibs.

The tie will be played at Newtown Park, which Athletic share with Lowland League side Bo’ness United, on the weekend of August 10.

Should Beith emerge on top, they’ll face Kilwinning Rangers at Bellsdale Park in a North Ayrshire derby clash on the weekend of August 31, for the right to a place in the draw for the first round proper.

Nine of the West of Scotland Football League’s Ayrshire contingent qualified for this season’s senior Scottish Cup, with Beith the only one in the hat for the first preliminary round because they do not yet hold a full SFA licence.

The other North Ayrshire side in the draw, Irvine Meadow, will travel to East Lothian to face Preston Athletic in the second preliminary round.

The draw also threw up a tasty all-WOSFL tie between Pollok and last season's Junior Cup winners Darvel, with the East Ayrshire club hoping to recapture some of the magic of their run to the fifth round of the 2022-23 tournament and their memorable defeat of Aberdeen at Recreation Park.

Auchinleck Talbot, meanwhile, who set a WOSFL record by reaching the fifth round of the 2018-19 competition, famously beating Ayr United on the way, are also facing an East Lothian away day against EOSFL Premier Division side Haddington Athletic.

The full draw for both preliminary rounds of the tournament is as follows, with Ayrshire clubs highlighted in bold.

Preliminary round one (weekend of August 10): Bo’ness Athletic v Beith Juniors, Culter v Invergordon. Byes: Cupar Hearts, Dundee North End.

Preliminary round two (weekend of August 31): Benburb v Vale of Leithen, Bo’ness Athletic or Beith Juniors v Kilwinning Rangers, Bonnyton Thistle v Dunbar United, Burntisland Shipyard v Dunpiace, Clydebank v St Andrews United, Coldstream v Camelon Juniors, Creetown v Cumnock Juniors, Culter or Invergordon v Sauchie Juniors, Cupar Hearts v Wigtown & Bladnoch, Dalnbeattie Star v Whitehill Welfare, Dalkeith Thistle v Blackburn United, Dundonald Bluebell v Edinburgh University, Easthouses Lily v Newtongrange Star, Fort William v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Girvan v St Cuthbert Wanderers, Glenafton Athletic v Threave Rovers, Golspie Sutherland v Carluke Rovers, Haddington Athletic v Auchinleck Talbot, Jeanfield Swifts v Newton Stewart, Lochee United v Hawick Royal Albert, Penicuik Athletic v Musselburgh Athletic, Pollok v Darvel, Preston Athletic v Irvine Meadow XI, Rutherglen Glencairn v Hutchison Vale, Tayport v Dundee North End, Tynecastle v Glasgow University.

Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Stewarton United will travel to Dunfermline to face Bayside Ladies in the first preliminary round of the 2024-25 tournament on the weekend of August 18, while Ardrossan Winton Rovers and Cambusdoon Ladies were each given a bye.

Should Stewarton win that game, their reward will be a home tie against either Dunfermline Athletic or Aberdeen in the second preliminary round, to be played on the weekend of September 8.

Following their first preliminary round byes, Winton Rovers were handed a home tie against Arbroath or Annan Athletic, while Cambusdoon will play host to Buckie Ladies.

Full draw as follows.

First preliminary round (weekend of August 10): Arbroath FC Women v Annan Athletic Ladies, Bayside Ladies FC v Stewarton United Ladies, Blairgowrie WFC v Buchan Ladies United, Dunfermline Athletic Ladies v Aberdeen FC Ladies, Glenrothes Strollers Ladies v Dalbeattie Star Ladies, Gretna FC 2008 v Bishopton, West Park United FC v Cumbernauld United Ladies FC.

Second preliminary round (weekend of September 8): Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Arbroath or Annan Athletic, Bayside Ladies FC or Stewarton United v Dunfermline Athletic Ladies or Aberdeen FC, Benburb WFC v Stonehaven Ladies FC, Blairgowrie WFC or Buchan Ladies v Linlithgow Rose, Cambusdoon Ladies FC v Buckie Ladies, Cumbernauld Colts v McDermid Ladies, Drumchapel United v West Park United or Cumbernauld United, Dyce Women Football Club v Harmony Row WFC, Elgin City v St Anthony’s Ladies FC, Glenrothes Strollers or Dalbeattie Star v Grampian Ladies FC, Gretna FC 2008 or Bishopton v Huntly FC Women, Murieston United Women v Alloa Athletic WFC, Penicuik Athletic v Danderhall Miners, Ross County v Edinburgh South CFC.