FAI Cup:The organisers may be a little apprehensive after seeing the two best supported clubs left in this season's Ford-sponsored FAI Cup drawn against each other in the semi-finals, but as Pete Mahon took training at Belfield last night the UCD coach could scarcely have been happier with the way things have worked out.

"All I was looking for really was a home draw and I've got that which is great," said the man who brought St Francis to the final in 1990. "People might say we've been lucky to avoid Bohs and Cork but, to be honest, with the record Longford have in the competition under Alan Mathews, there's ever reason to expect they'll be as hard to beat as either of the others."

Regardless of whether his side can progress to a final for the first time since they won the competition in 1984, however, Mahon was satisfied last night the draw has struck a blow for the league's "smaller" outfits on a day when it was reported those with full-time squads were exploring ways of opposing the proposed wage cap.

"I'm pleased there's be one of the so called part-timers in the final," said Mahon. "Everything now seems to be geared towards the clubs that can afford to have full-time pros and yet now there's more talk that they're not happy.

"If we can't win I hope Longford do. They've come through a difficult season, they've had points deducted and they don't have the money that some of the other have . . . if I can't have my big day out at the final," he concluded, "then why can't Alan, he's done a great job up there."

In the other semi-final, Bohemians will enjoy home advantage for their meeting with Cork City but it is another difficult draw for a side that has had to clear some big hurdles to get this far. "If we're going to win it then it looks like we're going to have to do it the hard way all right," said Bohemians boss Seán Connor last night. "We've put out Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic and if we get past Cork then it'll be the top three in the league we've beaten on the way to the final."

The two have been the form sides in the Premier division over the last few weeks but after losing the League Cup final to Derry City on Tuesday night there will be renewed pressure on the Dubliners to progress so as to secure entry to the Setanta and Uefa Cups for next season.

Honours are even so far this season between the sides with each winning their home league game 2-1 while the third Premier division encounter, at Turner's Cross, is scheduled to take place on the last day of the campaign.