FAI CUP Preview: Drogheda United -v- Cabinteely

• Fran Reilly
• Fri, May 29 2015




DROGHEDA UNITED

The Drogs take a break from their Premier Division relegation battle this week as they host League of Ireland newboys Cabinteely in the second round of the FAI Cup. Johnny McDonnell's side come into this game on the back of a vital 2-0 win against Galway United last week.

 

However, an inability to string decent results together has left Drogs involved in the dogfight at the bottom of the table very early in the season. Back-to-back league wins against fellow strugglers Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers in the first two games of the campaign is the longest unbeaten run Drogs have managed so far.

 

Even then, sandwiched between those two victories was a 1-0 defeat to First Division side Shelbourne in the EA Sports Cup, and McDonnell will be wary of becoming a scalp for a lower league side twice in the same season.

 

“How far we can go in the cup will depend heavily on who we draw but to start off at home is a great incentive for us,” McDonnell told droghedaunited.ie. “We've had Cabinteely watched a couple of times since the draw was made and I heard they played very well against Cobh Ramblers last week.

 

“We will be aiming for our third successive win at home and that will be a huge confidence booster for the entire team but we need to match the effort and desire of the opposition and hope that our quality will see us through.”

 

Drogs' progress in this competition last season came to a shuddering halt at the quarter-final stage when they lost a replay with Derry City 5-0 at the Brandywell. McDonnell will have to plan for their first game of this season's assault without suspended duo Daryl Kavanagh and Shane Dunne and the injured Cathal Brady, while skipper Mick Daly and defender Neil Yadolahi are doubts.

 

CABINTEELY

The season of firsts and reaching of milestones continues for Cabinteely as they gear up for their first ever FAI Cup game and their first ever trip to United Park, the home of their next opponents Drogheda United.

 

Eddie Gormley's men were perhaps unfortunate to come out of last week's 2-2 draw with Cobh Ramblers with just a point as they took a 2-0 lead inside of the opening 13 minutes. The Ram eventually pegged them back and the result keeps the Dun Laoghaire side at the foot of the First Division table on goal-difference. However, Cabo boss Gormley was pleased with the performance if not the result.

 

“One to eleven, I was delighted with every single one of them,” Gormley told Extratime.ie after the game. “They gave an absolute 100% effort tonight and unfortunately they didn't get what they deserved, but football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth when you're down.

 

“So we just move on, we're disappointed but we'll take the positives out of it. We've a tough game against Drogheda next week, so we'll start preparing for that now. The lads will work hard during the week and we'll see where it takes us.”

 

Cabo's first taste of domestic cup football this season went well as they dumped Southside rivals UCD out of the EA Sports Cup in the first round thanks to a stoppage time winner from Shane O'Neill. However, they were paired with Premier Division title challengers Shamrock Rovers in the next round and bowed out of the competition with a 2-0 defeat.

 

Referee: Robert Harvey.

 

MATCH STATS

This will be the first ever meeting of Drogheda United and Cabinteely in what will be the Dun Laoghaire side's first ever FAI Cup game.

 

Drogheda have won four of their 16 games in all competitions this season. They have yet to win back-to-back competitive games in 2015 and have lost every game which has followed one of their victories.

 

This will be only the second ever time Cabo have faced Premier Division opposition in competitive action. The first was a 2-0 defeat to Pat Fenlon's Shamrock Rovers in Stradbrook in the second round of the EA Sports Cup last month.

 

BETTING

Drogheda United 1/5; Draw 9/2; Cabinteely 14/1

 

PREDICTION

2-0.

 

Drogheda United

Injured: Cathal Brady (hamstring).

Doubtful: Neil Yadolahi and Mick Daly.

Suspended: Shane Dunne, Daryl Kavanagh.

 

Cabinteely

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.