HOLDERS SLIGO Rovers will have to beat Bohemians at the semi-final stage of the Ford-sponsored FAI Cup again if they are to retain the trophy after Paul Cook’s side were drawn away to their Premier Division rivals last night.
The two sides met at Dalymount at the same stage of the competition last October when Rovers turned in one of the performances of the season to be beat Pat Fenlon’s men 1-0, with Gavin Peers getting the winner.
Sligo went on to win the final in thrilling fashion, beating Shamrock Rovers in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. The Dubliners had made it to the decider after overcoming St Patrick’s Athletic at the second attempt and Pete Mahon’s side get another crack at it this year although they must wait until at least next Monday when Shelbourne and Limerick meet to discover who it is they will be visiting on either October 14th or 16th.
The task then for the Inchicore outfit will be to eliminate one of the first division’s top sides and if they do, they’ll earn another shot at lifting the trophy for the first time since 1961 and ending a run of seven defeats in the final
Michael O’Neill, meanwhile, has admitted his side’s defeat by Sligo Rovers last week in the cup hurt his players more than losing at home in their opening Europa League tie to Rubin Kazan.
“Yeah, they were more disappointed then, that’s the reality.
“Many of them were involved in the cup final last year and were beaten on penalties and obviously they wanted to get back to the Aviva this year.
“That’s not to be and now it’s about how they react to the disappointment. The win over Bray was a good start; the pity is that we’re not taking the momentum from that game straight into Drogheda next weekend.”
Momentum is indeed a major issue as his side divide their attentions between the defence of their league title and the more attention grabbing but ultimately less important European games like Thursday’s at White Hart Lane.
“It’s been fantastic for us to be involved in the European thing but the downside is that you want momentum behind your team and you get that from winning games and winning games and winning games. Sligo have that momentum at the minute. They lost it around the time they were playing in Europe but they’ve got it back, as Pats have.
“We can go and win a domestic game but then we have to play Rubin Kazan so the psychological benefit that comes with being able to say that you haven’t been beaten in five or six games is going to be more difficult to achieve because of the European thing.
“But the players, hopefully, can put the European thing where it is, ring fence mentally it, I suppose, and focus on the fact that we’ve got six league games left and if we win the six of them we will win the league, it’s as simple as that.”
REPUBLIC of Ireland international Martin Rowlands has signed for Wycombe Wanderers on a three-month loan from QPR.
Bohemians v Sligo Rovers Shelbourne/Limerick v St Patrick's Athletic
To be played on Oct 14th or Oct 16th
