FAI Cup Preview: Shelbourne -v- Galway United

Shelbourne in a huddle ahead of kick-off against Shamrock Rovers in Tolka Park on Monday 22 April 2024

Shelbourne in a huddle ahead of kick-off against Shamrock Rovers in Tolka Park on Monday 22 April 2024 Credit: Brian F Smyth (ETPhotos)

SHELBOURNE

Shelbourne’s two-pronged approach to bringing silverware to Richmond Road continues this weekend when they switch their attention away from the league and welcome Galway Utd to Tolka Park in a FAI Cup third round clash.

The Reds are still top of the Premier Division, albeit now by only two points after last weekend’s 2-1 loss away to Sligo Rovers, and they will now look to make it into the last eight of the cup when they face the Tribesmen in the only all Premier Division clash of the third round.

They made hard work of getting through the second round when they were pushed all the way by First Division Bray Wanderers before emerging 1-0 winners thanks to a 15th minute Sean Boyd goal.

Their interest in European football ended earlier than they would have liked when they lost out to Zurich on a 3-0 aggregate score in the Conference League.

Manager Damien Duff added to his strength in depth this week with the signing of 30-year-old Ireland International Aiden O’ Brien, a striker who was released by Shrewsbury Town at the end of last season.

Shels have only scored 29 goals in 26 league games all season, a remarkably low total for a side with league and cup aspirations so they will be looking to O’ Brien to quickly improve that metric and he may well feature for the Reds in the cup tie on Friday night.

Duff told his club’s media team: “Galway have a brilliant and highly effective style of play. We reviewed it this morning and touched on it throughout the week. We know how good they are; they’ve earned respect in this division. 

“We need to be effective at both ends of the pitch. It is a cliché, but it can ring true; in a cup match, form is not important—anything can happen.”

GALWAY UNITED



Galway will look to bring their excellent league form into their FAI Cup game this weekend and will have no fears over taking on the current league leaders on their home patch.

They have only lost once in their last five games and currently sit in sixth position on 38 points, only two points adrift of a top four place in the table.

They had a facile 6-0 win at home against Longford Town in the second round of the cup but know they face a much tougher test against the Reds on Friday night.

They had a great high scoring run in the 2023 FAI Cup campaign, scoring 13 goals on their way to the semi-final which they subsequently lost 1-0 to Bohemians.

They beat Bangor Celtic 4-1, UCD 5-1 and Dundalk 4-0 before succumbing to Bohs at the last four stage.

Win, draw or lose, they are unlikely to hit such numbers against the meanest defence in the league however, Shels having conceded only 17 goals in 26 league matches this year.



Manager John Caulfield spoke to Galway Bay FM in advance of the game and he said: “When the draw came out people said it’s the tie of the round, and obviously everybody is tipping Shelbourne to win because they are top of the league and rightly so.

“But the cup is different, there are no replays, it finishes on the night.

“We know how good Shelbourne are but at the same time the games between us this season have all been very tight.”

Referee: Robert Harvey

 

MATCH STATS

Shelbourne manager Duff is unlikely to place much emphasis on omens, either good or bad, but he will nevertheless be aware that the last time Shelbourne won the league, they also won the FAI Cup in 2000, the one and only league / cup double in their long history.

Having secured the league with a 2–0 win in Waterford, the double was claimed thanks to a Pat Fenlon goal in the FAI Cup final replay away in Dalymount Park against Bohemians. 

Galway manager John Caulfield is also unlikely to be too concerned with history when they travel to the capital on Friday afternoon, but no doubt he will be reminded by some of the Galway natives that when they won their only FAI Cup back in 1991, they did beat Shelbourne by 2-0 enroute to the final at Lansdowne Road.

Johnny Glynn scored their 85th minute winner against Shamrock Rovers in that final.

PREDICTION

Shelbourne 2-1 Galway United

 

Shelbourne

Injured: Sean Boyd, Dean Williams.

Doubtful: John O’Sullivan.

Suspended: None.

 

Galway United

Injured: Ronan Manning.

Doubtful: Stephen Walsh, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, Conor McCormack.

Suspended: None.

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