19.45 22 Aug 2014 -
Referee: Graham Kelly
FAI Cup Preview: St. Pat's -v- Shelbourne
- Simon O'Gorman
- Fri, Aug 22 2014
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC
St Pat’s fans must be sick of hearing about their Cup curse every time the countries Blue Riband tournament comes around so we will only mention it once: Pats haven’t won the FAI Cup since 1961, 53 years ago. And since that last victory Pats have lost eight finals. Surely, sometime soon, that run has to end.
One thing is certain, the shadow of history will not weigh heavily on Liam Buckley or his players. Statistics - particularly historic ones - mean nothing to those involved in the heat of battle. What will concern Buckley and his staff will be last Monday night’s defeat to Limerick FC when three valuable league points were dropped and shades of the Saints’ lack of ruthlessness bubbled to the surface once more.
Pat's utterly bossed the first half against Martin Russell’s side before meeting a more resilient Limerick in the second period. But the Saints had enough of the ball to have won comfortably and losing to Rory Gaffney’s 50th minute strike will have hurt.
The Limerick defeat ended an unbeaten run at Richmond Park that stretched all the way back to April and Buckley will be looking for an immediate response from his players.
In team news, Greg Bolger will not be available for selection due to suspension. Neither Ken Oman nor James Chambers made the matchday squad against Limerick earlier this week with both having been flagged as injury doubts. Oman hasn’t played since picking up a calf injury in the warm up prior to the game against Legia Warsaw in Tallaght and must be considered a doubt for Friday’s match.
SHELBOURNE
Shelbourne won’t have happy memories of their trips to Inchicore last season. In a year that saw the Reds relegated from the Premier Division they played twice at Richmond Park and came away with nothing on either occasion.
Their first visit to Emmett Road was something of an ordeal with a Chris Forrester hat-trick instrumental in a 4-0 defeat that ramped up the pressure on manager Alan Mathews. Exactly one month later Mathews departed and it was under current boss Johnny McDonnell that Shels next arrived by the banks of the Camac. Another defeat ensued, although by the less traumatic scoreline of 1-0.
But that was then and this is now. Shels have lost only three times in the league this season and come into the Cup game against Pats brim full of confidence. They are unbeaten in six matches and with a slender three point gap between themselves and First Division leaders, McDonnell’s side will still be confident of making a reappearance in the top division next year.
That said, Shelbourne’s cup form hasn’t been exactly red hot this season. The Reds went out of the EA Cup at the first time of asking when they lost 5-2 to Bray Wanderers back in March, and they repeated the trick a week later in the Leinster Senior Cup when they went down to UCD in a penalty shootout at Belfield. But a second round victory over Waterford United in this competition will have settled the Reds Cup nerves ahead of Friday night’s game.
"The Cup is a great week”, said McDonnell. “We do things differently building up to the Cup. It's a great place to go, a great chance for our players to go to Inchicore. It's a good test to see where they're at and what levels they're at, when the opposition that they're playing are at a higher level. I have no doubt but that our players can play at the higher level.”
McDonnell’s only absentee ahead of the game is Darren Tinnelly who will have an operation this week, but top-scorer Dylan Connolly will be available, as will Gareth Coughlan who missed last weekend’s draw with Wexford Youths due to suspension.
Referee: Graham Kelly
MATCH STATS
St Pat's and Shelbourne have been paired against each other 12 times in the FAI Cup with each club progressing six times. Best of thirteen?
Shelbourne have reached the FAI Cup final 18 times, winning seven of them. Pats have made it to ten finals, winning just two.
Shelbourne last won at Richmond Park on 17th October 2011, when a 3-1 FAI Cup semi-final replay win sent them through to the 2011 Final against Sligo Rovers.
BETTING
St Pat's 1/5, Draw 5/1, Shelbourne 11/1.
PREDICTION
St Pats to win 2-0
St Patrick’s Ath
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Ken Oman.
Suspended: Greg Bolger.
Shelbourne
Injured: Darren Tinnelly.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None
About Simon O'Gorman
Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and …