1. Youths spring eternal with shock win over Derry
THERE CAN BE only one place to start this week and that is at Ferrycarrig Park where Wexford Youths produced a major shock by hammering a usually free-scoring Derry City 4-1 in the third round of the FAI Cup.
Youths are struggling in the First Division and have yet to pick up a point at home, but that meant for little in front of their own fans on Friday night as they struck four past Stephen Kenny’s bewildered side.
Derry did rest a couple of players, but they weren’t exactly wholesale changes either, and even after introducing potent attackers Eamon Zayed and Gareth McGlynn at the break, the Candystripes couldn’t stop Danny Furlong’s hat-trick.
2. Despite defeat Hall acquit themselves well
Douglas Hall not only played a league decider 48 hours before their trip to Dalymount Park on Friday night, but they also travelled up the M8 without five players due to work commitments.
Rumours were rife that even Kelvin Flanagan, who played for Cork City over a decade ago, would start up front for the Hall.
In the end he didn’t feature and against all the odds, the Munster Senior League side actually had a slight chance up until the latter stages.
Anto Flood had given Bohs an early lead, but it wasn’t until Stephen Traynor’s 77th minute strike that they were comfortable, with Robert Bayly scoring again in the final few minutes.
3. Drogheda score four in easy win
For the first time this season, Drogheda United recorded an easy win. Mervue United have been struggling with injuries lately but very few envisaged the Premier Division strugglers winning 4-0.
It wasn’t until late on that they guaranteed the win, but it will no doubt give them a massive confidence boost in the quest for survival in the league.
While the old cliché that form goes out the window in cup games often turns out to be true, it was still a shock to see such a big deficit, especially considering Mervue have improved a lot since last year. Perhaps there is a bigger gulf in class between the Premier Division and the second tier than we imagined?
4. Sheriff overcome Salthill to represent the non-league
The only non-league team in the last 16 is Sheriff YC, who overcame Salthill Devon at Drom on Friday night. John Rock scored twice early in the second half to put the Dublin side into a commanding position, and although Paddy Quinlan pulled one back for the hosts, Devon were left with a slight bit of embarrassment when bowing out against an unfancied Sheriff.
Elsewhere, cup holders Sligo Rovers had a bit of a shock when they were run close by Limerick’s Pike Rovers. Colm Carroll had given the FAI Junior Cup winners the lead, but a Jason McGuinness brace and Raf Cretaro’s 71st minute goal was the Bit O’Red’s emphatic response, though Pike scored again five minutes from time through Dave Ryan.
5. Bank Holiday action on Leeside set to entertain
It might seem like a bit of a sideshow compared to the GAA yesterday and the running of the Cork city marathon this morning, but Leeside will also host an EA Sports Cup quarter-final between Cork City and St Patrick’s Athletic this afternoon.
For the home side it will be an acid test of how close they are to Premier Division standard, while for Pat’s it represents a glorious chance to move a step closer to some silverware. City are likely to make a couple of changes as their hectic two-game a-week schedule catches up with them, but for once this season, it looks likely that they will lose their unbeaten record which goes the whole back to the start of the season.
