FAI Cup Preview: Cabinteely -v- UCD

• Conor Clancy
• Fri, Aug 11 2017




CABINTEELY

Pat Devlin’s youngsters will be hoping to secure only their second ever win over their South Dublin rivals when they welcome UCD to Stradbrook Park on Friday evening (kick-off 7pm).

 

Still relative newcomers to the League of Ireland, Cabinteely have already broken their club record points total this season, and are sitting in the dizzying heights of fourth place in the First Division table on 32 points.

 

The club’s social media accounts have set the bar high in the week building up to the game and are already counting the number of matches to play before reaching the Aviva Stadium, while Devlin, too, is going into Friday’s game with no fear.

 

“Playing at home we’ve got nothing to lose and all to gain,” he told the SSE Airtricity League’s official website after Cabinteely’s respectable 1-1 draw with league leaders Waterford United.

 

“The cup is very unpredictable. You need lots of luck.

 

“I have been fortunate enough to win it a couple of times and it’s a great thing to be involved in.”

 

Former UCD player Kieran ‘Marty’ Waters will be the one to watch for the hosts, with the forward bagging 12 league goals already this season, just two off First Division leader Georgie Kelly of UCD.

 

 

UCD

Any other year and Collie O’Neil’s Students would be gearing up for a promotion push, but the league’s restructuring has somewhat disguised the fine season being enjoyed by his side.

 

UCD find themselves in third place in the First Division table, five points clear of Cabinteely in fourth while also five points adrift of second places Cobh Ramblers.

 

O’Neil will be welcoming the cup break with open arms and hoping that it presents his players with an opportunity to reverse a recent run of disappointing results, with UCD winning just once in their last six league outings – which came in a 4-0 win over Athlone Town on July 21.

 

During that run, they have lost just twice – to Cabinteely and Cobh – while drawing with Shelbourne, Longford and Wexford.

 

 

Referee: Alan Carey

 

 

MATCH STATS

 

In SSE Airtricity League action, Cabinteely have played UCD four times already in 2017 and there has been little separating the two in all of their meetings, with both sides picking up one win each and ending with a point apiece twice.

 

The two sides were also drawn to face one another in the Leinster Senior Cup in May, in which Collie O’Neil’s side emerged victorious by a 2-1 scoreline.

 

Goals have never been a problem in meetings between the two, with their five matches this season producing a total of 19 goals.

 

 

BETTING

Cabinteely 6/4; Draw 23/10; UCD 6/4.

 

PREDICTION

Cabinteely 3 – 2 UCD

 

 

Cabinteely

Injured: N/A

Doubtful: N/A

Suspended: None.

Unavailable: Joe Doyle (University Games).

 

UCD

Injured: N/A

Doubtful: N/A

Suspended: None.