St Patrick’s Athletic manager Stephen Kenny makes a valid point; a midseason break to play European club qualifiers is not much use if the FAI Cup second round is fixed right beside said break.
“It’s most strange that the cup is Bohemians against Shamrock Rovers and Derry City against St Pat’s,” said Kenny. “It’s quite unusual. It’s a tough draw going away to Derry, it is one of the toughest place you can go.
“The fact that it is four days before our big European game on a Thursday, it is strange. What is the point in having a break for Europe when you get the cup game four days before your match?
“I am not quite sure the way that has landed. Obviously we have to play on a Sunday as Derry are in Europe the previous Thursday. We respect that. It is not their fault.”
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Winning the FAI Cup has become almost as important as a Premier Division title, with the reward being a direct route into the Europa Conference League qualifiers. The final itself has become domestic football’s signature event, continually selling 50,000 tickets to fill up the Aviva Stadium in November.
The Europa Conference League qualifiers draw is on June 18th, with the first-round games set for July 11th and 18th. The FAI Cup second round will be played the week ending Sunday, July 21st with the Conference League second-round first legs on July 25th, the stage at which Kenny’s side enter the competition.
“The draw is the draw and you have to roll with it,” Kenny added.
St Pat’s currently lie eighth in the table after 21 matches, so their likeliest route into European football for the 2025/26 season appears to be via the FAI Cup, unless they can emulate Olympiacos and win the tournament outright in 2025, as the Greek side did by beating Fiorentina last week.
The pick of the cup draw is not St Pat’s trip to the Brandywell but a repeat of Friday night’s postponed Dublin derby between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians, called off due to international call-ups in both squads.
Drogheda United versus Dundalk should also draw a full house to Weavers Park.
The Louth clubs are suddenly embroiled in a relegation scrap as Jon Daly’s Dundalk moved off the bottom of the table following a 3-2 defeat of St Pat’s last Monday, when the former Ireland manager’s son, Eoin, came off the bench to almost bag a fourth goal.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I genuinely wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t feel there was quality in the group,” said Daly. “They’re certainly not a team that should be where they are, but they are. They’re there because they haven’t got results and it’s important now that we try to back Monday’s win up on Friday away to Shels, who are a really good side. We need to try to get something there too.”
Shelbourne are developing an unwanted habit of raising their standards for Dublin derbies only to drop points against clubs from outside the capital.
“I think we’re in a false position,” said Ryan O’Kane, the Dundalk winger. “Obviously, a few of the performances at the start of the season, like Sligo and Galway, were unacceptable.
“We’re off the bottom. It’s looking up now, that’s our mentality – focus on climbing up that table. There’s still half a season to go, there’s so much to play for, and obviously a cup run as well. It’s a long season, you just don’t know what can happen.
“We’re after beating a top team, the cup winners, away from home, and got a good result against Derry who have been challenging for the title for the past three years. We can beat anyone on our day.”
Shels will test that theory at Tolka Park.
Friday night’s Premier Division fixtures (7.45)
Derry City v Gaway United; Drogheda United v St Patrick’s Athletic; Shelbourne v Dundalk; Waterford v Sligo Rovers.
Men’s FAI Cup second round draw
Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers; Athlone Town v Ringmahon Rangers; Drogheda United v Dundalk; Sligo Rovers v Cobh Wanderers; Ballyfermot United v Leeds; Cork City v Finn Harps; Galway United v Longford Town; Treaty United v Killbarrack United; Waterford v Cockhill Celtic; Wayside Celtic v Wexford; Gorey Rangers v UCD; Pike Rovers v Midleton; Bray Wanderers v Shelbourne; Wilton United v Carrigaline United; Cobh Ramblers v Kerry; Derry City v St Patrick’s Athletic.
Ties will be played week ending July 21st, 2024
Women’s FAI Cup first round draw
DLR Waves v Whitehall Rangers; Galway United v Shelbourne; Treaty United v Ferns United; Bohemians v Peamount United; Cork City v Douglas Hall; Shamrock Rovers v Wexford; Sligo Rovers v Terenure Rangers
Ties will be played week ending August 4th, 2024
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