Soccer FAI Cup: Hope tinged with trepidation perhaps best describes the mood of Ringmahon Rangers' players on their visit to Dalymount Park tonight to face FAI Cup second favourites Bohemians.
The Cork side, newly promoted to the top division of the Munster Senior League, last played a competitive game in May when they beat CYM Terenure 3-0 in the first round of the blue riband competition.
The National League's switch to a summer season militates against the chances of any non-league side causing an upset, as Rangers manager John Deasy acknowledged.
"Not having played a competitive match in two months is a big worry for us," said Deasy. "The League of Ireland teams have a huge advantage in that regard. We played CYM back in May and have only been back training for the last three weeks.
"But it's a big day out for us and we are on a hiding to nothing going up there. We will go up there and do our best and make sure we enjoy the occasion. We will use it as a yardstick for our season to come."
Rangers are without two key players, Derek Remington, their top scorer last season, and scorer of two of their goals against CYM, and midfielder Paul O'Donovan who is out for two months with an ankle ligament injury.
Bohemians won't be at full strength either with captain Kevin Hunt suspended and Colin Hawkins out with an ankle injury.
Left-back Simon Webb (calf) and utility player Thomas Heary (groin) are doubts and unlikely to be risked with next Tuesday's UEFA Cup return in mind.
It's surely a sign of the times that Drogheda United go in to tonight's Louth derby with Dundalk at Oriel Park as favourites.
"All the pressure is on Drogheda," said Dundalk manager Jim Gannon, a former team-mate of Drogheda manager Paul Doolin's at Shelbourne.
"Dundalk have great pedigree, but the fact we are not favourites reflects what has happened in the last few years. Drogheda will come here expecting to win and that can play into our hands," added Gannon, whose side have lost just once in seven games.
"I know that normally the underdogs win these derbies, which is something I'm hoping to avoid," said Doolin. "But as I've said to the players, we're the Premier Division side and if we perform as we have done in the first half of the season, we should go through."
Midfielder Paul Marney returns from suspension for Dundalk while defender Stephen McGuinness and strikers Trevor Vaughan, who has scored three times in the last four games, and Ciarán Quinn require fitness tests. Drogheda's only absentee is midfielder Alan Reilly (knee).
Tonight's fixtures (7.45): FAI Carlsberg Cup (second round) - Bohemians v Ringmahon Rangers; Dundalk v Drogheda United.
