• General

  • Thursday June 2nd, 2011 @ 12:46

SAINTS’ BOSS WARY OF ‘BANANA SKIN’ CUP TIE

Crumlin United host St Patrick's Athletic in Richmond Park this Friday, 3rd June for a local derby in the Third Round of the FAI Ford Senior Challenge Cup (kick off: 7.45 pm)

PREVIEW

Easter Saturday, 23rd April 2011 may have appeared an insignificant date in their club's history for most St Patrick's Athletic supporters.

On Good Friday, the night before, the Saints had secured a good point after a 1-1 draw with Derry City in the Brandywell and were looking forward to the visit of Shamrock Rovers in the EA Sports Cup on Easter Monday.

But Saturday, 23rd April 2011 was the 50th anniversary of the Saints FAI Senior Challenge Cup Final victory over Drumcondra, their last victory in the competition.

Last season's semi-final replay defeat against Shamrock Rovers was the latest of a long list of episodes of what, to St Pats' supporters, seems like a quest for an unobtainable holy grail.

This season's quest begins at home in Richmond Park, for an ‘away' game against the Leinster Senior League's Crumlin United.

That Crumlin weren't founded until six years after the Saints last FAI Cup success won't have any effect on the pitch as the non-league team will look to take the scalp of their local League of Ireland neighbours.

TEAM NEWS

Monday night's 3-1 victory over UCD extended St Pats unbeaten run to eleven league and cup games. The Saints have been without captain Conor Kenna for the entirety of that run and he once again misses out with a knee injury.

Neil Harney (muscle strain) and Anto Murphy (hamstring) also sat our Monday's victory through injury but trained with the squad last night and both are fit to play.

Striker Danny North has now scored 8 goals in his last 8 games and will be looking to extend that run if selected.

PETE MAHON

“I've been reminded at least ten times already this week that it is fifty years since this club won the FAI Cup. I know how much it means to everybody but this game is a potential banana skin for us and we will treat Crumlin with a lot of respect.

“We have a tough schedule of games coming up so we will make a few changes and try to get people game time but this is a game, like all games, that we want to win.

“Crumlin have a good record in this competition and we are well aware that they have knocked out Shelbourne and Waterford United in recent seasons.

“We came close to winning the trophy last season getting to a replay in the semi-final but we want to win it this season and to do that we have to start with getting a victory over Crumlin United tomorrow.”

Next Fixture

Drogheda United / March 29th @ 7:45pm
Competition: League
Venue: Weavers Park
 
Team Pld Pts
Shelbourne616
Derry City611
Sligo Rovers69
Waterford FC68
Galway United FC67
Bohemian FC57
Shamrock Rovers56
St Patrick's Athletic66
Drogheda United54
Dundalk52

St Patrick's Athletic FC

Founded in 1929 the 'Saints' are the current FAI Cup holders and play in the Premier Division of the SSE Airtricity League at Richmond Park, in Inchicore Dublin 8, Ireland.

Contact Us

125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8, D08 E0Y7, Ireland

(+353) 1 454 6332
(+353) 1 454 6211