Bohemians look to bounce back

FAI CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Bohemians v Sligo Rovers: AFTER SOMETHING of a hiccup in the league recently, Bohemians switch their attention to the Ford- sponsored FAI Cup this evening, with Pat Fenlon's men looking to maintain hopes of a treble by beating Sligo Rovers at home.

Paul Cook’s side men overcame the holders recently at the Showgrounds and Bray then scored an unlikely win at Dalymount Park but Mark Rossiter insists the championship defeats will count for little when the two sides take the field tonight.

“It’s a little different because we played them last week,” he says. “They were best then, got an early goal and defended really well for a side that have conceded a lot of goals but that’s Sligo, they’re a side that can beat anyone on their day.

“We’ll be hoping to come away with something this time.

“We’re the holders and we want to win it again. We know that people want to beat us but we have to cope with that. People are saying we’ve lost our form but we’ve had that before. We lost two games earlier in the season back to back, against Cork and Derry, and it was the first time that we’d done that under Pat (Fenlon) and people started questioning us then but we put a run together that lasted until we got beaten last week so we’re not too fazed by it really, we’re looking to let our football do the talking.”

Fenlon will be without Gary Deegan, who is suspended, but Owen Heary is available after struggling with injury in recent weeks.

Alan Keane, also suspended, should be the only Sligo absentee for the game but the defender reckons his team-mates are in with every chance of springing a surprise after their league win a couple of weeks ago.

“Of course, it’s going to be tough,” he says, “but we’ve played them five times already this season and all of the games have been tight. They’re slightly ahead over all but we won the last one and the lads will be up for it. Dalymount is never an easy place to go but the pitch is good and our lads will enjoy that too.”

In the League of Ireland First Division UCD can close the gap on Shelbourne at the top of the table if they can bounce back from last week’s defeat to Sporting Fingal by beating Monaghan United at the Bowl. Rob Creevy (thigh) is still out injured for the students, while Greg Bolger and Chris Mulhall are suspended.