SO THEY meet again. Somehow, in the weekend that was in it fate decreed that yesterday's draw for the FAI Harp Lager Cup semifinals would pair Bohemians and Derry City all told for the sixth time since Derry became a League of Ireland club a dozen seasons ago.

Just as inevitably, the holders, Shelbourne will again have to take to the road for the third semi final running if they are to reach their third final in succession, after being drawn away to Waterford. Bohemians are at home to Derry. Both ties will take place on Friday, April 4th.

Drawing sustenance from history, Felix Healy commented: "They've a saying in Derry, that they don't get to the Cup final unless they play Bohs along the way." Indeed, on all four previous occasions that Derry have reached the final they beat Bohemians en route.

Having lost to Bohemians at Dalymount in the 1986 quarter finals, Derry beat their Dublin rivals 4-1 in the 88 quarter finals after a draw at the Brnndywell; won by 3-1 at the same stage and, same venue a year later; won another Dalymount replay three years ago in the semi finals, and two seasons ago came through 3-2 in the second replay of their memorable week long semi final saga at the Brandywell.

Looking towards Boehmians' fourth semi final in a row, Turlough O'Connor also extracted a positive slant from the draw. "It's a great match for Bohemians and for the Dublin public alike, being the only game in the capital. It couldn't have worked out better for us. We now have two big games with Derry and these are the kind of games that players look forward to, the kind of games that are a reward for all the hard work of earlier in the season."

Shelbourne arguably got the best draw of the Premier Division's top three, though as Monaghan, most notably Shamrock Rovers, and latterly, Drogheda United have all discovered, the Waterford Regional Sports Centre's combination of a badly rutted pitch (possibly the worst in the league) and huge local support (6,000 against Rovers) can be a potent mix.

The Waterford manager Tommy Lynch met several of his players and back up staff for breakfast in a local hotel to listen to the draw. Understandably, Lynch declared he was "delighted to have another home draw. Thrilled to bits. We couldn't believe we'd got a home draw yet again. The gods have been good to us. All we wanted was a home draw. After that it didn't matter who we got."

Nevertheless, Shelbourne, were arguably their plum draw, given the Cup holders carry a certain allure with them. The presence of Donal Golden and Sean Riordan, on loan from Shelbourne, in Waterford's ranks adds spice to the tie and, as Lynch observed, "looking much further down the road, reaching the final against Derry would probably ensure a place in the Cup Winners' Cup." But in true managerspeak, Lynch maintained that promotion was the priority.

Waterford's directors will meet on Tuesday and may subsequently approach officials from Waterford Corporation, who own the ground, with a view to some temporary adjustments which would facilitate a bigger attendance at the home venue.

The draw had it's plus side for Damien Richardson as well, in that if Shelbourne reach the final it would almost certainly mean the top three would qualify for Europe through whatever route.

As ever then, in that curious way of Cup draws, no one, it seems, was particularly displeased.