ROSS County were today drawn against Scottish League One title chasers Dunfermline Athletic in the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.
The draw took place at the National Stadium in Glasgow, with ties set for Saturday, January 9.
County already have a Scottish League Cup semi-final at the end of January against Celtic to look forward to and will be looking to advance in the Scottish Cup too against the Pars, who their manager Jim McIntyre used to boss.
The Staggies' interest in the competition was ended in the fourth round last year when they lost 2-1 at Premiership rivals St Johnstone.
The Dingwall club were runners-up in 2010 when they lost 3-0 against Dundee United in the final, so they will be keen to follow their Highland neighbours ICT all the way to the trophy next year.
Caley Thistle will kick off their defence of the Scottish Cup with a trip to League Two Stirling Albion or Lowland League side Cumbernauld Colts.
Stirling's tie with Colts was postponed at the weekend and will be played tonight (Tuesday).
This draw news came just 20 minutes after ICT boss John Hughes signed a new deal, keeping him and assistant Brian Rice at the club until the summer of 2018.
*** The full fourth round draw: St Johnstone v Kilmarnock, Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County, Stirling Albion or Cumbernauld Colts v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose v Queen’s Park or Forfar Athletic, Dundee v Falkirk, Livingston v Greenock Morton, Dumbarton or Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South, Stenhousemuir or East Kilbride v Huntly or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, Motherwell v Formartine United or Cove Rangers, Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen, Airdrieonians v Dundee United, Stranraer v Celtic, Rangers v Cowdenbeath or Arbroath, St Mirren v Partick Thistle, Inverurie Loco Works or Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academicals.
