High-flying Dundalk aim to extend winning-run
League leaders Dundalk are in the hunt for a treble and go into the game on the back of a resounding 5-0 defeat of Derry City in the Premier Division which restored their six-point lead over Cork City, though the latter have a game in hand.
Says Dundalk’s former Cork City man Daryl Horgan: “Going to Shamrock Rovers is always a difficult game. They are on an upward curve at the moment with Pat Fenlon coming in but they’ll be smarting after losing to a last-minute goal last week. It’s a cup competition and we’re going there to win the game and are confident after winning there earlier in the season. If we can play to our best hopefully we can get the victory.”
Rovers, who fell to that late Dan Murray goal at Turner’s Cross last time out, might have struggled in the league this season but the Hoops still have a shot at a cup double under manager Pat Fenlon, who has made it clear that a first FAI Cup trophy for the club since 1987 and a place in European competition are very much on his mind.
In tonight’s Dublin derby, St Patrick’s Athletic are at home to Bohemians in Richmond Park (7.45pm).
This will be Pats’ ninth consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals although you have to go all the way back to 1961 to find the last time the Inchicore side actually lifted the cup.
Saints’ manager Liam Buckley has no injuries to contend with but the home side will be without the cup-tied Aaron Greene due to his appearance in Sligo Rovers’ 3-0 defeat to Dundalk in the second round.
Bohemians manager Owen Heary will also be able to select from close to a full-strength squad for a game which, he says, is their biggest of the season so far.
“If we get through to the semi-final, it’s extra finance and we can start thinking about getting to Europe, and that would be really massive, not only for the fans,” he says. “And if we do get to a cup final we might have that bit extra to help us keep more players.”
Drogheda United boss Damien Richardson, a cup winner as both player and manager, also makes no bones about the significance of tonight’s quarter-final against Derry City at United Park (7.45pm)
“Both of our seasons will be encapsulated in this one game and a fighting spirit will be imperative to any result,” he says. “I watched Derry against Dundalk on Monday but I don’t think that the result (Dundalk won 5-0) will have any impact tonight given the side that Derry put out. The fact that Peter Hutton made so many changes for the league game emphasises how important tonight’s game is. Cup football is all about holding your nerve and this game has all the makings of a classic.”
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