And, just to add more spice to the occasion, South Manchester's squad contains a number of former Maccabi players.

South boss Darryl Lee is also life president of Manchester Maccabi.

But Darryl dismissed any notion of antagonism between the two sides when they meet in the crucial game on Sunday, February 19 (11am) at the Armitage Centre, Fallowfield.

He told Sportsworld: "I know a lot of our boys are friendly with theirs.

"Of course we want to win - and they will too.

"My being life president of Maccabi does not interfere with the football side of managing South, nor my fundraising for Maccabi.

"I don't have a narrow view on these matters, my view is wider than most."

South - top of the Manchester Accountants League Premier Division with 14 wins out of 14 - took on Maccabi 1st in last season's Morrison, but lost.

Maccabi went on to win the trophy in an epic final in May at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park.

South's squad contains ex-Maccabi 1st players in Adam Lavin, Mark Addis, Marc Yaffe and David Chaytow.

"We have struggled in this competition so far," Darryl admitted.

"We don't play teams as good as Maccabi every week and they have a lot of experience and they will be the favourites to win."

But Maccabi co-manager Stuart Delmonte disagreed with his opposite number.

Stuart told Sportsworld: "South are flying high and have a strong team.

"We lost players to them in the summer and that was their prerogative - a third of their team are ex-Maccabi.

"It definitely adds something to the occasion.

"South are the team to beat, they are the favourites and I have said that since the beginning of the season."

Stuart predicted that there would be apprehension from both sets of players in the game.

He said: "All of them know each other and will want to put one over the other.

"It is about passion and pride and it is about being top dog in Manchester - it is about bragging rights."

Maccabi co-manager Tony Rosenberg added that South have a winning mentality.

"They are the favourites and the fact that we are the holders is irrelevant," he said.

"We are the two premier Jewish teams in the north and it is a shame we could not meet in the final."

South reached the final eight of the competition after beating London Lions B 1-0 on Sunday.

The visitors took the lead on the half-hour mark, when Ben Peppi picked up the ball on the halfway line and ran at the Lions' midfield.

Peppi continued his run, played a one-two with Anton Feingold, and buried the ball in the bottom corner of the net.

Lions' two big chances came in the last five minutes.

South keeper Jody Marks parried a cross-cum-shot on to the bar and ex-South player Joey Lazare should have scored when clean through, but he blasted his shot over the bar.

Maccabi saw off North London Raiders B 2-1.

Maccabi took the lead in the 65th minute thanks to Jay McGarvey.

He doubled the lead minutes later with a well-taken volley, before Raiders pulled a goal back through David Dinkin.

Pride Park Rovers

GIANT killers Hyde Park Rovers caused a major shock by knocking Shirley Park out of the Peter Morrison National Trophy.

Jay Rosenthal and Oli Grant scored the goals to edge the Manchester Jewish Soccer League side past the Londoners.

Hyde Park have been rewarded for their efforts with a return to London to take on double-winners Redbridge Jewish Care in the last eight - a task that could be described as 'Mission Impossible' on February 19.

"We were underdogs going into the Shirley game but we are not going down to just make up the numbers against Redbridge," said Rovers manager David Domb.

"We'll have a right good go at it.

"We went to Shirley thinking we could get a result and this time around you never know, cup upsets happen."

MSFC third division team Shirley started brightly, but Rovers took the lead after just two minutes when Rosenthal poked home a superb cross by David Cohen from four yards.

Shirley put the visitors under intense pressure and forced Rovers keeper Simon Falk into a stunning save.

But the visitors should have doubled the lead after a quick counter attack from a Shirley corner.

Speedy Ryan Silvester ran the length of the pitch, but inexplicably put his effort over the bar when through on goal.

Shirley continued to boss the tie and deservedly equalised midway through the half from a set piece converted by Gideon Gold.

All square at the break, Shirley was unlucky not to take the lead when they struck the bar before Falk kept Rovers in the game with two outstanding saves.

Shirley should have been out of sight on the balance of play, but cup football is about taking the moment when it arises.

Rovers duly stunned the Londoners when Silvester flicked on a long punt from Falk for Grant to beat the Shirley keeper to the ball before rounding him and slotting home 15 minutes from time.

Shirley enjoyed more possession in the remaining minutes, but Rovers stood firm and went closest to scoring again when Daniel Seligman forced a fine save from the keeper in stoppage time.

"Shirley are top scorers in the country in Jewish football so I knew it would be a tough game," said Domb. "They looked dangerous, but we dug deep and got the winner on a counter attack.

"We score a lot of goals, have a solid defence and don't concede many so it was a question of cancelling them out."