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Belfast Live
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Gareth Fullerton

Irish Cup: Michael Gault relishing Ryan Catney showdown in third round clash

Some familiar faces will square up in Saturday's Irish Cup.

The third round draw has paired St James' Swifts and Ballymacash Rangers in a mouth-watering clash.

The two sides met in the Steel and Sons Cup earlier in the season, with West Belfast club St James' emerging with a hard-fought 2-1 win.

They will renew rivalries at Donegal Celtic Park this Saturdaay, both determined to book their place in the fourth round of the blue riband competition.

Former Linfield captain Michael Gault is player/manager of Ballymacash, while ex title-winning Cliftonville midfielders Barry Johnston and Ryan Catney are part of the St James' set-up.

Johnston is Packie McAllister's number two in the dugout, while Catney signed a deal with the club in the summer following his release from the Solitude Reds.

"I know Cats off the pitch, but I still love playing against him and getting the better of him," Gault told this week's That's What I Call Football podcast .

"There's no hard feelings afterwards. It will be the same on Saturday.

"You learn not to shout too much when you're winning. I was bumming and blowing for years about Linfield doing so well, and then Cliftonville came along and dominated for two years.

"But the rivalry with those fellas was great over the years and it hasn't changed now that I am managing Ballymacash."

St James' coach Johnston won't be involved on the pitch on Saturday, but he expects another "cracking" cup tie between the sides.

"I put myself forward to be registered but the club didn't put it through. I think they were trying to tell me something," Johnston joked.

"Saturday's cup game will be a cracker up at Donegal Celtic. Ryan Catney is playing for us, so the chance for him and Gaulty to have a rattle against each other will be good again.

"It will bring back some good memories.

"We beat them 2-1 recently in the Steel and Sons and it was a brilliant game. We scored late on.

"It was a real good game and the fans were quality. We stayed a while in the bar afterwards and it was a good derby game.

"It will be the same this Saturday. Hopefully we get a similar result."

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