FAI CUP Preview: Bohemians -v- Firhouse Clover

• Aaron Gallagher
• Thu, May 28 2015




 

BOHEMIANS

Bohemians go into Friday's second round of the FAI Cup on the back of a poor run of results that has seen them achieve one win in their last four games.

 

Back to back defeats to Galway United in the Premier Division and EA Sports Cup, combined with Friday's harrowing 0-0 draw against Bray Wanderers has put a slight dent into Keith Long's side’s early-season run of form.

 

Long reiterated before last Friday's game at Dalymount that the onus was most certainly on the team in black and red as the home team.

 

“I expect them to be well-organised... and they defended very well”, he told bohemianfc.com. “Obviously a new manager brings new ideas, a new voice in the dressing room, and their players will get a bounce from that.”

 

And so it turned out to be as Trevor Croly's side ran out the happier of the two teams on a dismal night of football. Rare goalscoring opportunities from Jason Byrne and Marc Griffin failed to produce a goal, but more serious were the injuries suffered by Lorcan Fitzgerald and captain Derek Pender that has seen the latter ruled out for the remainder of the season.

 

Bohs go into this Friday's game in good cup form however, as a 2-0 away win against Newtown United. thanks to goals from Keith Buckley and Conor Murphy, has put the Gypsies into the semi-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup.

 

Friday's FAI Cup second round meeting with Firhouse Clover will represent a surmountable challenge to the Dalymount outfit as both management and players alike have echoed the desire for a good cup run to couple their league success this season.

 

“It's a big year for the club [with] the 125th anniversary so a cup run would be excellent” captain Pender told the ExtraTime.ie Sportscast last month.

 

His side went out in the quarter-finals last year following a 3-2 loss to eventual winners St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park following a commendable run that saw Owen Heary's team beat Limerick FC, following a replay, as well as Cork City, also following a replay.

 

Current boss Keith Long has emphasized that his side will take nothing for granted against Firhouse on Friday night.

 

“The cup throws up shocks and we’re hoping Friday night won’t bring one for us,” he told bohemianfc.com.

 

“We are taking nothing for granted. We will be as prepared as we can be and we will give Firhouse every respect. It’s a big competition and we want to progress to the next round.”

 

Long will be without captain Derek Pender who is ruled out for the rest of the season but will welcome back left-back Lorcan Fitzgerald who was also stretchered off last Friday following an ankle injury suffered in his side's 0-0 draw against Bray Wanderers.

 

On a long list of injuries, Bohs will also be without Dave Mulcahy (hamstring), Anto Murphy (ankle), Paddy Kavanagh (knee) while Dean Delany returns following his suspension for last Friday's game.

 

FIRHOUSE CLOVER

Yet another green and white hooped side from the depths of Tallaght, Firhouse go into Friday's game already with a cup to their name.

 

The Tallaght side beat Leinster Senior League: Senior Division Sunday champions Bluebell United 1-0 in the final of the Lanigan Cup at the weekend.

 

A man of the match performance saw Brian Malee score the decisive goal that would clinch Clover the cup less than 24 hours after their opponents were crowned league champions.

 

Firhouse finished the 2014/15 season in sixth place with eight wins from their 24 games played, drawing seven and losing nine.

 

The Tallaght side found goals hard to come by throughout the campaign, scoring the league's third-least amount of goals with 28 but at the same time keeping it tight at the back with only 31 conceded in their 24 games played.

 

Their Lanigan Cup victory will add a sense of reassurance and hope going into Friday's game against Bohemians in a game of prominence and vast excitement following their first round 1-0 win over Glenville courtesy of a 55th minute Carl Wynne goal

 

Referee: Ben Connolly

 

 

MATCH STATS

Having conceded only four goals in their opening eight league games, Bohemians have conceded eight goals in their last four games.

 

Firhouse managed to score slightly less than a goal per game in their 2014/15 Leinster Senior League campaign, averaging 1.1

 

Bohemians have kept eight clean sheets in their fourteen league games this season.

 

 

BETTING

Bohemians 1/14; Draw 8/1; Firhouse Clover 25/1.

 

PREDICTION

Bohemians 3-0 Firhouse Clover

 

 

Bohemians

Injured: Derek Pender (Achilles), Dave Mulcahy (hamstring), Anto Murphy (ankle), Paddy Kavanagh (knee).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

 

Firhouse Clover

Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Unavailable.