Back to Cup business for Ramblers after glamour clash
The stimulating scenes that surrounded their game with United at Turner’s Cross revived memories of their epic FAI Cup adventure of 1983 when Cobh, then in the Munster Senior League, played Sligo Rovers four times before losing in the semi-final.
Their two games at Flower Lodge on that occasion attracted attendances of up to 15,000 spectators and while the capacity at Turner’s Cross last weekend limited the attendance to 8,000, the background to the game was reminiscent of those heady days of 1983.
But while the game against Limerick will, inevitably, be of a more mundane nature it will be hugely important to the club.
Cobh need a Cup run now that hopes of promotion have disappeared for another season but they will do well to be mindful of the fact that Limerick’s need is no less acute. Player-manager Michael Kerley has performed wonders over the past two seasons on a very tight budget and a boost to their finances would be a huge encouragement to them.
Cobh will miss the suspended John Andrews and the injured Eoghan Conlon while Limerick will be without John Whyte, Conor Molan, James Sugrue and Timmy Lynch because of injury.
“It will be a tough match but we have shown the ability to raise our game in previous cup matches this season” said Kerley.
Cobh’s manager Dave Hill said: “It is likely to be very close, as all our matches against Limerick have been this season. We must take advantage of playing at home.”
Waterford United manager Alan Reynolds is another who has had to operate this season on a very restricted budget and he is feeling the pinch now with injuries biting hard into his limited playing resources.
Three of his regulars, Wayne Fitzgerald, John Frost and Vinny Sullivan, are all ruled out through injury yet Reynolds is confident that his side still have what it takes to beat Sligo.
Sligo meanwhile, hope to have goal scoring midfielder Stephen O’Donnell available again after he limped out of last week’s 4-0 League victory over Monaghan United.
Derry City will not need reminding of their visit to Terryland Park last season when they travelled as reigning FAI Cup champions. They saw their title whipped out of their grasp as Galway United handed them a 2-1 defeat with Alan Murphy scoring both goals for Galway.
Murphy’s performance helped persuade Derry that he was the man to boost their scoring power.
“We’ll be gunning for revenge,” said manager Peter Hutton. “Thankfully, we have Alan Murphy with us rather than against us this season.”
His counterpart Tony Mannion tried to play down last season’s meeting believing it will have no effect on the team.
“It’s all about Friday’s game rather than what happened last year. They are an in-form side and are in the Premier Division so should be favourites but we’ll go out and play our game.”
Both sides have suspension problems with Ronan Frawley ruled out for Galway meaning his brother Conor will start at centre half while Derry will be missing captain Eamon Doherty.
Monaghan United manager Mick Cooke took a novel approach to previewing their match against Dublin City by suggesting their prospects of regaining their Premier Division status this season would be helped if they were eliminated from the Cup at this point.
Cooke has seen Monaghan improve in recent weeks and believes his side can beat Dublin City.
“It’s always good for a First Division club to meet a Premier Division club in the Cup and we’ve already beaten Derry City in the League Cup so we don’t fear Dublin City,” he said.
The other cup ties this weekend see Bray Wanderers face Kilkenny City at the Carlisle Grounds, Wayside Celtic taking on St. Patrick’s Athletic and Leinster Football League side Tullamore face Athlone Town.
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