Avondale go long route in search of history

Avondale United’s players wake up in Sligo today, having broken the back of one of the longest journeys in Irish football as they head for Ballybofey and an FAI Ford Cup quarter-final replay against Finn Harps.

The travelling party left Cork at 6pm yesterday and, by the time they reach Finn Park this evening, will have put over 400km behind them. And once the final whistle blows tonight, the long road will promptly beckon again.

“We’re heading back to Cork straight after the game and that’ll take about five to six hours, with a break for the driver,” says club secretary Tom Mullane. But he readily agrees that the miles will feel like they’re flying by if Avondale manage to achieve a club milestone tonight, by qualifying for the FAI Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history. They’ve been as far as the quarters once before, losing 4-0 to Shelbourne in 1995, but, after holding First Division Harps 1-1 in Carrigaline on Sunday, there is confidence in the Cork camp that the long journey will not be a wasted one.