MR ONION versus PHC is usually the sort of standard Commercial League fixture which attracts little attention from people other than the players involved. But on Sunday the whole of the island's football fraternity will take at least a passing interest in the clash as the Onions step up from playing Commercial League outfit PHC Raiders and take on the Zebras' senior side from the Premier League.

The clash is one of the plum ties of Sunday's FA Cup quarter finals.

There is no doubt the pub side have earned the right to be there after holding Premiership outfit Southampton Rangers at their ground and defeating them in the replay.

In many ways MR Onions go into Sunday's Cup clash with Premier big boys with little to lose.

They are not expected to win . . . but they have already proved they can play a bit.

If they get dumped out of the Cup they can concentrate on the league where they are a point behind the leaders with two games in hand after having a bye last week and suffering a postponed game the previous week when Devonshire Lions were late getting changed and the ref went home.

For a team who have thrived on their fitness, with at least five marathon runners in the side, the enforced lay-off could prove crucial.

However for MR Onions captain Steve Smith it is a question of individual discipline.

He said: "There are a number of players who keep fit whether we have a game or not. There are those who do nothing and you will see them struggle."

Nor is he about to change the team's twice-a-week training routine, even though Tuesday's session was more than a little tense with so many players desperate to impress and get a place in the starting line-up.

Smith is certainly expecting a very fast, physical game from PHC who are just two points behind the league leaders and dumped out Cup holders Dandy Town in the last round.

"Being realistic we have little chance but we'll go out and give it our best effort on the day.

"The league is the main challenge and my players feel we've slipped off the radar a little with the Dev. Rec Lions no show game and last week's bye.

"But there will be no change to our normal game."

However there will be a change to the preferred starting line-up with in-form striker Nick Briggs sidelined with knee ligament damage.

Onions' front line will instead be led by the pacey young Irish pairing of Colin Keane and Eoghan O'Dwyer.

PHC president Chris Furbert knows his Onions having played the pub side on numerous occasions in the Commercial league and having seen them beat his team recently after being 2-1 down with just minutes on the clock.

"FA Cup games are always unpredictable. We are not going to take them lightly. They obviously train."

Onions president Chris Fleming also remembered that 3-2 win just before Christmas.

"We needed two late goals to get that win which suggests we'll struggle against the senior team.

"We've heard their strikers are very strong and fast and we expect them to put us under a lot of pressure early on.

"We watched their game in the previous round against Dandy Town and it was played at a much faster pace than we're used to."

The PHC front line boasts Bermuda international player Antoine Russell as well as Kenny Mills and Omar Shakir.

The club has five other players who have pulled on the national jersey including his own son Chris Furbert Jr.

However Fleming hopes the Onions front line can cause problems of its own.

"If we can get the ball to our strikers they are capable of causing PHC some problems ? the difficulty is going to be winning enough possession to give our strikers a chance.

"We are taking it seriously because if we don't we're likely to end up losing very heavily. Everyone in our team is very competitive and we don't want to lose by a cricket score."

However it may resemble a rugby score, fears Fleming.

"I think our chances of winning are very slim. We can compete in one-off games with sides in the First Division but there's a big difference in the sides at the top of the Premier Division."

Prior to beating Southampton Rangers the Onions previous three games against Premier teams ended in defeats of 8-0, 6-1 and 6-1.

"Lobster Pot are a team who we always have close games with and they lost 9-0 in the previous round against Devonshire Cougars," noted the pessimistic Fleming.

Onions do have home advantage but on the bumpy, patchy surface that honour is distinctly dubious.

However the location does have some advantages ? win, lose or draw, says Fleming. "It's only one minute's walk from MR Onions."

Nor will it be a lonely walk as the team have their own small but dedicated band of supporters including Jason Roberts who has been a regular.

He said: "Most of us really miss Saturday afternoons at the football back home and this is the best we can get.

"Probably we should get some better hobbies really ? apparently there are beaches and golf courses in Bermuda somewhere."

In the spirit of English supporters his gang have named themselves the 2:55 firm, a salute to Portsmouth's 6:57 crew ? which was the time the early morning Saturday train left Portsmouth for away matches.

"2:55 is the time we have to leave MR Onions to get in place at BAA for a 3 o'clock home game. "Main difference is that the 6:57 used to have a reputation for being hooligans, whereas we have a reputation for being accountants."

The quarter-finals have also thrown up some other enticing fixtures.

Ireland Rangers take on cup giants Somerset Trojans in an all-West End derby.

First Division rivals Hamilton Parish and Prospect play each other while seven-time FA Cup champions North Village face Devonshire Cougars in the only all-Premier Division quarter-final.