It’s last 16 time in the FAI Cup. LOI TV Commentator Kieran Burke previews the action.
UCD AFC v Derry City – Fri, 19:45, LOI TV
Derry City must put the James McClean soap opera to one side and focus on avoiding a potential banana skin when they travel to the UCD Bowl on Friday night. Former Derry defender Mark Connolly has been named interim manager following Tiernan Lynch’s departure, and surely the Candystripes can only improve after parting ways with Lynch, who failed to deliver despite the riches at his disposal.
While the McClean situation is a very ugly and unwanted distraction, City should still have enough to power past an inconsistent UCD. The College put in one of their better recent performances last week when hammering Wexford 4-1 in the First Division, but they had lost at home to Treaty United and drawn with struggling Athlone in their previous two matches.
Derry City got a much-needed confidence boost in Friday’s 2-0 win at home to Sligo and should follow up in the cup.
Selection: Derry City (12/25)
Galway United v Bray Wanderers – Fri, 19:45, LOI TV
Bray are flying in the First Division this season with the Seagulls second behind runaway leaders Cork City following a 5-0 win against Finn Harps. That brought Bray’s goal tally this term to 54, just three goals fewer than the soon-to-be champions.
However, consistency is an issue for the vast majority of First Division sides, especially on the road. Bray have won just three of 13 away games this season, so coming out second from the drum for this cup tie was far from ideal, to say the least.
Galway United are unbeaten in five, but they’ve drawn their last three and have failed to score in two of those ties. Home advantage and the extra physicality and fitness edge of playing in the Premier Division should see them over the line, but this could be tighter than many expect.
Selection: Galway United (68/100)
Waterford FC v Athlone Town – Fri, 19:45, LOI TV
One of the more straightforward ties to preview. Waterford FC are the most in-form team in the country at the minute and should face little resistance against First Division strugglers Athlone.
The Westmeath men picked up a morale-boosting Midlands derby win at home to Longford on Friday, but they sit just two points above second-from-bottom in the basement division. Waterford thumped Bohemians 3-1 on Sunday, with the dream team of Tommy Lonergan and Podge Amond (2) sharing out the goals again.
If Waterford go hell for leather here, this could end up in a cricket score. Athlone will be hoping the Blues may rotate, but with Waterford building up a real head of steam at present, their manager Graham Coughlan may be reluctant to take his foot off the gas.
Selection: Waterford FC -1 (6/5) NAP
College Corinthians v Drogheda United – Sat, 16:00
Non-league teams have a rotten record against League of Ireland sides in the FAI Cup, so 2024 winners Drogheda may make light work of their trip to Cork.
College Corinthians were involved in the game of the previous round, overcoming Bangor Celtic 5-4, but their last meeting with a league club saw them lose 0-5 to Bohemians in 2021.
Drogheda beat Lucan 4-0 in round two and could record a similar result here.
Selection: Drogheda -2 (Prices to follow)
Dundalk FC v Castlebar Celtic – Sat, 17:00, LOI TV
Dundalk are struggling for form of late, but they couldn’t have asked for an easier cup tie. The Lilywites have been largely playing well but shipping some terrible goals recently, including in Friday’s unlucky defeat in Tallaght.
Dundalk’s Premier Division class will be unlike anything Castlebar have ever come up against before. This could be the biggest hammering handed out in all of the last 16 ties.
Selection: Dundalk -3 (Prices to follow)
Sligo Rovers v Kerry FC, Sat, 19:45, LOI TV
Sligo Rovers fans need no reminding of the danger posed by Kerry FC in this competition. The Bit O’Red suffered a humiliating FAI Cup exit at Mounthawk Park last year, so they’ll be grateful at least that they don’t have to travel to Kerry as they seek to write the wrongs from that infamous encounter.
Kerry FC are flying in the First Division, so they could be a dangerous opponent once again for Sligo, who are in real danger of relegation from the top flight. The Kingdom had won three straight league matches before succumbing to defeat late on away to Cork City on Friday. That strong run of form has Kerry within touching distance of the play-off places.
Sligo Rovers are without a league win in almost three months; they were fortunate to draw a non-league side in the previous round, but this is a cup tie fraught with danger, as Shelbourne learned when they were dumped out on penalties by Kerry in round two.
Kerry’s away form has really improved of late, emphasised by wins against UCD and Bray, two of the leading play-off contenders in the First Division.
While Sligo should have just enough to get over the line, Kerry look overpriced and may be worth backing to take this contest deep into the night.
Selection: Kerry FC double chance win or draw (Prices to follow)
St.Patrick’s Athletic v Shamrock Rovers, Sun, 16:00, RTE 2
The tie of the round. A Dublin derby between the top two in the Premier Division. Stephen Kenny versus Stephen Bradley. The Saints against the Hoops, and it’s live on RTE.
Shamrock Rovers are in the midst of one of their busiest periods of the season, as Bradley’s boys juggle league, European and cup action. Rovers may be making a short trip to Richmond Park for this last 16 tie, but they will have been in Albania just days earlier.
The double winners of last term fielded a heavily rotated team in Friday’s dramatic 3-2 league win at home to Dundalk, and while they were perhaps fortunate to come away with all three points, you’ve got to admire just how often this Rovers team gets the job done by hook or by crook.
The same can’t be said of St.Pat’s, who have grown increasingly frustrating to follow this season. Consecutive draws against Dundalk and Derry City saw the Saints miss the chance to put pressure on Rovers at the top of the Premier Division, but they did overcome Shelbourne on Sunday.
Pat’s left it late to beat Wexford in the previous round, while Rovers needed extra time to overcome Cork City. The Saints are likely to play a stronger team this time around, whereas Rovers will need to be strategic off the back of Thursday’s game in Europe.
The worry for Pat’s supporters is that they have lost their last three meetings with Shamrock Rovers. If Stephen Kenny’s men want to show they are capable of beating the Hoops to major honours, they’ll have to find a way to come through this tie.
Selection: St.Pat’s to qualify (Prices to follow)
Bohemians v Longford Town, Sun, 19:00, LOI TV
A meeting of the Red & Black stripes as Bohemians hosts Longford Town. The Gypsies play in Denmark on Thursday, so may rotate, and that could open the door for their First Division opponents. Longford Town had been in flying form up until Friday’s defeat in Athlone, but they put it up to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght at this stage of the tournament last year, so they shouldn’t be underestimated.
De Town have been in excellent goal-scoring form over the last month. Wayne Groves’ men won 3-4 in Cork before putting eight past non-leaguers Balydoyle in the previous round. They also hammered Finn Harps 5-0 on the recent bank holiday Monday.
Bohemians were stuffed 3-1 in Waterford on Sunday, and while Longford lack the quality of Tommy Lonergan and Podge Amond in the final third, they do have some in-form strikers of their own in Dean Williams and Daragh Murtagh.
Longford gave Bohs a real scare when the sides last met in the FAI Cup in 2019, losing on penalties, and they should keep this tie interesting.
Selection: Longford Town +2 (Prices to follow)
