The Scottish Cup will begin for the 2022/23 season on the weekend of August 27, and the draw for the first preliminary round was made today (August 2).

Rangers defeated Heart of Midlothian in last season's Hampden final, overcoming their Europa League final heartache to do so.

The 'big teams' were not in today's draw, with Scottish Premiership sides not entering the competition until the fourth round.

However, some familiar teams did enter in this draw, with many of Ayrshire's former junior football sides joining at this stage.

This follows their move from the junior football ranks to the SPFL pyramid system, with some sides gaining their SFA membership in the process - allowing them to enter the historic competition.

It provides the perfect opportunity for some money-spinning glamour ties, like we have seen in the years gone by with Auchinleck Talbot twice facing Hearts and Irvine Meadow taking on their Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.

In this year's draw, Kilwinning Rangers entered the cup for the very first time. They were drawn at home to WoSFL Division One side Rutherglen Glencairn.

They faced them twice in league action last year, winning 3-0 at home and sharing four goals apiece in a thriller away from home.

Irvine Meadow, unlike last year, avoided Auchinleck Talbot in a cup draw; they will face East of Scotland Premiership side Hill of Beath Hawthorn at Meadow Park.

Moving over to East Ayrshire, after shocking Hamilton Academical last year, before falling to eventual finalists Hearts, Auchinleck will begin their journey this year with a home fixture versus East of Scotland side Coldstream.

Meanwhile, Cumnock will face perhaps the most unique challenge of any Ayrshire side as they travel to face Tower Hearts, last season's amateur Scottish Cup winners. That victory earned them their spot in this year's senior Scottish Cup.