Murphy relishing challenge of Athlone tie

Sheriff YC host Athlone Town this evening in the third round of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup at the Clontarf Astro and ahead of the game Captain Paul Murphy spoke to Extratime.ie about Friday’s encounter with the First Division club.

“We’re feeling quite relaxed” he told Extratime.ie “We’re looking forward to it, we always like to be the underdog when we're playing a team at a higher level you always want to put it in a performance.”

Despite heading into this evening’s clash after a summer break, the AUL Premier A champions will be eyeing another SSE Airtricity League scalp having already knocked off high flying UCD in the previous round, an occasion which Murphy truly enjoyed.

“That was a great occasion, everybody was really, really up for it and went out and weathered the storm for the first ten minutes and after that we done really well - I thought we deserved to win after that.”

After two defeats in a row in cup competitions heading into the UCD tie, Murphy believed that his side had a point to prove to many people that the defeats to Liffey Wanderers and Collinstown were just off days for the Dublin 1 club - who have amassed nineteen trophies in the last five seasons.

“It was like we were wounded to be honest and everybody wrote us off going into the UCD game. We were favourites going into the other two games, we done nothing and didn’t win and the game against UCD, we were the underdog and we had a point to prove.

“Sometimes when you play against a team from a higher league you seem to step up a bit more - you seem to want it that bit more and you give it the extra few percent, I don’t know why it happens but it happens with every team.”

After starting their league campaign last Sunday with a 4-0 victory over Grange Baldoyle, Sheriff head into this evening's game with Athlone being the favourites with the bookies, but Murphy feels that despite being favourites on paper a victory over Athlone would be an upset for his side.

“That's the bookies, it's an upset you're playing against a team at a higher level than you so in my eyes it will be an upset.”

With tonight’s game being played on an Astro Turf facility, Murphy is hoping that could play a key part in his side coming out victorious, but he is also hoping for a huge local support to help roar his side to victory.

“I hope so” Murphy responded when asked if he thought the pitch could have an impact on the result. “You never know we’re quite used to playing on the Astro now so im hoping they're not to be honest, but I’m not too sure. I’m sure they’ve played on an Astro themselves. It’s a big occasion to play a League of Ireland side so I’m hoping there is a big crowd and I'm really looking forward to the game.”