FAI CUP QUARTER-FINALS:MOST OF the FAI Cup quarter-finalists have a lot to play for in the league, with the likes of Sligo and Shamrock Rovers in the hunt for the title, while Limerick and Cork city are contenders for promotion. Up at Dundalk, Mark Quigley says, the stakes are somewhat higher as they take on Bohemians this evening.
“It’s our season, I think,” says the striker who has one of the club’s outstanding performers this year. “We’re probably going to finish where we are in the table, maybe one place higher. So this game is our season.
“Obviously we want to go farther in the Cup and if you get to the semi-final of a Cup, the adrenaline gets you through it, it doesn’t matter who you get.
“Personally I’m excited about the game; they’re exciting times for the town. For the players as well, it’s exciting, it’s eight or nine years since Dundalk were last in the quarter-finals of the cup and the town is buzzing a little bit about it now.”
Losing to tonight’s opponents in the league on Monday doesn’t seem ideal preparation for this latest encounter with Quigley’s former club but the players, he insists, will view it as an opportunity for swift revenge.
“It (the defeat) was down to mistakes by us rather than them cutting us open. And this game is a great way to get back from that bad result.
“They won’t let a scoreline like that affect them, though. I know they won but I can’t see them being off the pace at all. I think it’s big for us to have the home advantage, with the astro-turf we can get the ball down and play.”
Dundalk, he reckons, are well suited to lifting themselves for the one-off challenge of cup games, although they were well beaten by Shamrock Rovers in the final of the Setanta Cup back in May.
Quigley, who is disappointed to have so little to point to on his own roll of honour, is hopeful they can push on and take the extra step in a competition the club last won when they beat Bohemians in one of two finals played back in 2002.
“I don’t know about the rest of the lads,” he says, “but for me personally, it (losing in May) hit me hard. I haven’t won anything; well, I won a Setanta Cup with Bohs but that’s probably it, I should probably have won more with the teams I’ve been with and the players I’ve played with but I haven’t.
“Hopefully this year, to win a FAI Cup would be unbelievable on a personal level.”
Quigley’s assault on goal should be helped this evening by the return of Ross Gaynor from injury while Keith Ward is available again after serving a suspension. Colin Hawkins (knee) is a doubt.
The visitors have Barry Murphy in contention and Aidan Price should slot back in at the heart of the defence but Ollie Cahill could miss out through injury.
In the night’s other game, Cork City face St Patrick’s Athletic at Turner’s Cross without Daryl Horgan or Stephen Mulcahy (cup-tied and injured respectively), while Neal Horgan and Gearóid Morrissey are doubts.
The visitors, who lost to Tommy Dunne’s side in the League Cup earlier in the season, have David McMillan out with a hamstring while Shane Guthrie and Seán O’Connor are cup-tied.
Tonight's games
Cork City v St Patrick's Athletic(7.35)
Home: 9/4, Draw: 9/4, Away: 23/20.
Dundalk v Bohemians(7.45)
Home: 9/5, Draw: 11/5, Away: 7/5.
Betting courtesy of Paddy Power.
