Injury list makes Dundalk’s task even tougher in Ford Cup

THE FAI Ford Cup third round gets underway this evening with a meeting of Premier and First Divisions as UCD travel to Oriel Park to face Dundalk (kick off 7.45pm).

With just one win in six gameshaving put their race for the FirstDivision crown into reverse, Dundalk will need to get right back on track for the visit of the Students who will be missing only Paul Byrne with a knee ligament injury.

“It’ll be a football match anyway, that’s for sure,” says UCD boss Pete Mahon.

“The only team showing any kind of consistency at the moment is Drogheda, the rest of us are up and down. It’s a very difficult league and if Dundalk do get promoted, which I think they will, they’re going to find how difficult it is.”

For the hosts, manager John Gill is once again faced with a lengthy injury list, with Cormac McArdle the latest addition to the roll call which already includes midfielder Shaun Williams, right back John Flanagan, centre back Ben Whelehan, winger Keith Dunne and Kevin McArdle.

A measure of the crisis is that back-up central defender Thomas McGauley, who returned from his three-week honeymoon last weekend, could figure despite not having played since 12 July.

Stephen Quigley, Robbie Doyle and James Hand, all signed in the mid-season transfer window, are not cup-tied and are all expected to play a part against UCD.