FAI Cup third round:St Patrick's Athletic will make the short journey to Bray today aware their recent form may raise the spirits of their opponents in this evening's Ford-sponsored FAI Cup encounter at the Carlisle Grounds. Bray Wanderers, though, have not been setting the world on fire of late and the truth is both sides could do with the win.
"We're on a dodgy run as well, we've lost our last three in a row," says Bray manager Eddie Gormley. "But it's the cup and anything can happen on the night.
"I had some great times there," says the former St Patrick's midfielder, "but I have a different job to do now with Bray and if that means hopefully knocking Pat's out of the cup, so be it. Hopefully the winner of the competition comes out of Friday night."
Each manager has injury problems to contend with but the outcome of the game will primarily come down to the visiting side's ability to recapture the sort of form they were displaying in March when three early goals from Mark Quigley set St Patrick's on course for the most comfortable of wins.
The striker has not found goals so easy to come by in recent weeks but, if Colm Tresson and Mark Duggan fail fitness tests, Bray face a tough night's work to get anything out of the tie.
Also anxious to see his players lift themselves is Damien Richardson, whose Cork City side go into this evening's clash with Kilkenny City having won just one of their last six competitive games. "We've just suffered two consecutive losses which, I think, is the first time that's happened to me as manager here and I don't like the feeling," says Richardson.
"Of course, the FAI Cup is important to us but what's more important just now is that we get our season back on track."
Cork have Brian O'Callaghan and Darren Murphy back but are likely to be without Joe Gamble (hamstring) and Liam Kearney (calf). Tommy Gaynor, meanwhile, returns to his former club with a full squad to choose from.
In the night's other games Sligo Rovers travel to Waterford and Limerick 37 take on non-league outfit Douglas Hall. Rovers have Keith Foy and Conor O'Grady suspended with another handful of squad members injured but Paul Cook's men have generated a bit of momentum of late and will be hoping to pull off a repeat of their league win at the RSC a few weeks ago.
Waterford manager Gareth Cronin has a strong squad available to him although Shane Harte looks set to miss out with a groin strain and Dave Mulcahy is cup-tied having appeared for St Patrick's in the last round.
Limerick's Paul McGee is without either Tommy Barrett or Wayne Colbert while goalkeeper Dave Ryan is a doubt. Douglas Hall have Seamus O'Donnell away on international duty at the World Student Games.
