Crumlin United -v- St Patrick's Athletic

• Simon O'Gorman
• Thu, Jun 02 2011


Leinster Senior League side Crumlin United make the short journey to Inchicore on Friday night to take on St Patrick’s Athletic of the Airtricity Premier Division in the 3rd Round of the Ford FAI Cup. (Kick off, 7.45pm)

Nominally this is a home tie for Crumlin but the teams will meet at St Pat’s Richmond Park ground and given Crumlin’s recent form in the they will be confident that they can overcome the loss of home advantage.

In 2009 Crumlin went to Tolka Park to face Shelbourne at the same stage and came away with a 1-1 draw, a game which they might have won on the night. As things turned out they won the replay, also at Tolka Park, and went on to take Waterford United draw 0-0 with Waterford United in the 4th round, a game that was payed at Richmond Park.

The replay of that game was a bridge too far for Crumlin who went down 2-0 at the RSC. They also reached the third round of last years competition, defeating Drogheda Town and Bonagee United in the earlier rounds before losing to Finn Harps in Donegal.

St Patrick’s Athletic, however, pose a monumental challenge to the non league side. Pete Mahon’s men are on a good run of form in the Airtricity league and are unbeaten in their last nine league games.

Pats have also had a decent run in the cups, progressing to the semi-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup and the quarter-finals of the EA Sports Cup where they will meet Cork City at Turner’s Cross.

They will start Friday’s game as odds on favourites to progress but St Pats have endured a famously long period without actually winning the FAI Cup, last lifting the trophy fifty years ago in 1961. They came close last year, going out to Shamrock Rovers in the semi-finals after a replay, and they last reached the final in 2006 when they lost 4-3 to Derry City at the RDS after a classic final that went to extra time.

Central defender Conor Kenna looks to be Pete Mahon’s only absentee for the tie as Neil Harney and Anto Murphy both returned to training during the week having missed the 3-1 win at UCD last Monday night.

“I’ve been reminded at least ten times already this week that it is fifty years since this club won the FAI Cup”, said Mahon. “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... but we want to win it this season and to do that we have to start with getting a victory over Crumlin United tomorrow.”

Crumlin United
Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Unavailable.

St Patrick’s Athletic
Injured: Conor Kenna.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

Referee: Neil Doyle.
Paddy Power Odds: Crumlin 9/1; Draw 9/2; St Pats Ath 2/9.
Extratime prediction: It all depends on the side that Pete Mahon puts out. We reckon a 2-0 win for Pats but we might be tempted by the draw if there are wholesale changes.