Students face toughest test at Oriel

By Liam Mackey

It’s a clash of champions and champions in all but name in the FAI Cup tonight, as First Division winners UCD head to Oriel Park to take on Dundalk in the first of this season’s semi-finals.

Daniel Cleary got on the scoresheet for the Lilywhites in their 3-2 league win over Derry City on Tuesday but says the celebrations were strictly rationed.

“We had a bit of a cheer in the dressing room but not too much,” he said. “It’s not wrapped up yet so we’ll have to wait for St Pat’s next Friday. And we’ve this big game against UCD.”

While Dundalk require just one point from their final four games to seal the deal in the league, they’re also just one game away from a fourth successive appearance in the FAI Cup final, with the promoted Students standing in their way at Oriel Park tonight.

Cleary fully expects the First Division champions to present a tougher challenge than some of those Dundalk have faced in the top flight this season.

“Definitely,” he says. ”From what I’ve heard and I’ve watched a few clips of them on Soccer Republic, they’re a strong team.

"It’s a hard league to get out of it and they won it with ease in the end. They’ll be a strong side, no doubt about it.”

Having lost out on both fronts to Cork City last season, Cleary says Stephen Kenny’s team are determined to put that right this time around.

“We want the double and everyone is striving for that,” he said. “First, everyone in the club wants to get to the Aviva for November 4.

"I’ve watched loads of games there when I was growing up. And I go there whenever I can to watch Ireland.

“I’ve never been to a cup final, I’ve always been away, but I’ve heard it’s a great atmosphere and a great day out for the club and everyone’s families.”

For UCD, there’s no escaping the reality that, even though they were able to account for Waterford in the quarter-final, they will have to perform a huge act of giant-killing to get past Dundalk away from home tonight.

“We’ll be the underdog, which helps, but after winning the league and having the result against Waterford, I don’t think we’ll be as much of an underdog,” said midfielder Daire O’Connor.

People won’t expect us to win but we’ll be expected to put it up to them and we hope to live up to that at least. They’re a professional outfit. They are the gold standard.

“They’ll want to win the cup as much as the league. It’ll be a new experience with our first ever game on TV. But once we put that to the back of our minds we’ll be fine.”

Meanwhile, following the departure of Liam Buckley, caretaker manager Ger O’Brien takes charge of St Patrick’s Athletic for the first time tonight as they make the short trip to Tolka Park to play Shelbourne in the final of the Leinster Senior Cup (7.45pm).

“It has been a tough week for the club so we are hoping to try and get through this game with a win,” said O’Brien.

“It is a cup final and you ask any player and they will tell you they want to win silverware when the opportunity arises.”