For the first time since the 1988-89 season four first division clubs have qualified for the FAI Cup quarter-finals, which will be played this weekend. And as one of the ties features the all-first division meeting of Wexford Youths and Treaty United from Limerick, one first division (or second tier) club is guaranteed a place in the semi-finals this year.
There’s no doubt, though, about the big game of the weekend -- the meeting of Derry City and Shelbourne at the Brandywell on Saturday evening. With Shamrock Rovers slipping out of the race to win the League of Ireland Championship five seasons in a row, Derry and Shels look to be most likely winners of the League of Ireland Premier Division this season, with Shels currently in pole position.
The clubs are also due to meet at the Foyleside venue again in the last series of League games on Nov. 1. Derry beat the 2023 Cup winners St Patrick’s Athletic 3-0 at the Brandywell in the second round and then the Candystripes made the long journey to Turner’s Cross where they beat Cork City 1-0 to qualify for the quarter-finals. Meanwhile Shelbourne won 1-0 away to Bray in the second round and the Reds needed penalties to get by Galway after 1-1 draw at Tolka Park in the next round.
After a recent League game between the teams at Tolka Park Shels manager Damien Duff and Derry boss Ruairi Higgins, who previously worked together as part of Stphen Kenny’s Irish backroom team, exchanged some verbals from the dug outs.
Duff said: “Emotion, tension. Ruaidhri is probably my only friend in the League of Ireland so I guess I have none left now. I never had many anyway. There is no one else to talk to.’’
Bohemians, who knocked out Shamrock Rovers and then struggled in Tralee to get by Kerry FC, should be too strong for UCD at Belfield on Friday night. Drogheda, who were one of the four first division clubs in the last eight 36 years ago, are now in the Premier Division and they will be favorites to beat First Division Athlone Town at Weavers Park. But then we have to remember the old cliché that the cup is a great leveller and anything can and does happen.
EUFA CAPS
AWAY TIX
With concert promoters and some European soccer clubs introducing “Dynamic Pricing” for tickets, it’s good to see that UEFA have taken a stand and are lowering the prices of tickets for away supporters in their competitions this season. Champions League away tickets will be capped at €50 as UEFA say they want to try and ensure that supporters feel “valued and recognised.” A further reduction is planned for next season. A price cap of €70 had been in place since 2019. Away tickets for Europa League games this season will be capped at €40 and they will drop to €35 in 2025. The price for the new format Conference League tickets will be capped at €20.
Meanwhile 1981 European champions Aston Villa are facing a backlash from their own fans after pricing tickets as high as €115 for their home Champions League games this season. Villa are participating in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in more than 40 years after their fourth-placed finish in the EPL last season. Adult tickets at Villa Park for their four home games will be priced at €100, (€111, and (€115) with discounted rates for season ticket-holders.
TG4 MAKES BID
TG4 has submitted a bid to purchase a GAA senior championship media rights for 2025. The Irish language TV station has confirmed it is seeking to expand its extensive Gaelic games coverage to include the competition’s blue riband events. TG4 currently has the largest rights tranche including the National Hurling and Football leagues, All-Ireland Minor and Under 20 championships plus the Club Championships.
O’SHEA SEEKS SEAT
Former Kerry footballer Billy O’Shea is seeking a Fine Gael nomination for Kerry in the next general election. The Killorglin based auctioneer, who won an All-Ireland with Kerry in 1997, is seeking the Dáil nomination to replace former Junior Minister Brendan Griffin, who will not contest the next election.
DUNDALK MAY
BE SOLD AGAIN
Dundalk Football Club could be set for yet another change of ownership with Brian Ainscough understood to be considering his future at the club just over nine months since his arrival at Oriel Park. There is speculation that the Boston-based businessman is open to offers to move on from the club less than a year after taking over the reins from Sean O’Connor, Alan Clarke and Andy Connolly in November last year. Ainscough, who had previously invested in Kerry FC, has had a difficult first year with the Lilywhites having gone through three permanent managers this season, a vast amount of on-field changes and a battle with relegation that is ongoing heading into the final eight games of the campaign. The Dublin native is also known to have grown increasingly frustrated with what he deems to be many legacy issues. After last Friday’s defeat to St Pat’s Dundalk manager Jonathan Daly admitted that wages to management and players had not been paid on time.
HIGH KICKING
FOR FUNDS
Over the years we have had various Puc Fada competitions in hurling and Long Kick competitions in Gaelic football, but next weekend we will have the first-ever Cic Ard or High Kick being staged in County Meath. As they try to raise funds for the development of their new pitch the St Ultan’s club have come up with this novel idea. There will be separate sections for men and women and contestants will have to kick a regular sized football over the crossbar which will rise up to a possible height of at least 65 feet (30 metres) or possibly higher. The cross bar and posts are a standard Gaelic football goalposts which are 21 feet wide (9.92 metres). The event is being staged on Sunday next in Seán Newman Park in Allenstown near Kells.
10-MONTH BAN
FOR HANLON
Well-known race horse trainer John “Shark” Hanlon has been given a 10-month ban and fined €2,000 over an incident in which he transported a dead horse in public view. The offence was deemed to damage the good reputation of racing by the referrals committee of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. The last five months of the ban have been suspended, providing Hanlon abides by a number of rules regarding his ban. Earlier this year, Hanlon removed a deceased horse from a paddock in Kilkenny. The carcass was contained on an open trailer. Although there had been some attempts by Hanlon to conceal the carcass from public view by covering it with a tarpaulin prior to departure from the paddock, these had failed completely by the time the box and trailer reached its destination, such that the carcass was completely uncovered and fully visible. A member of the public recorded the images and they later emerged on social media. Hanlon, who trained Hewick to win the American Grand National in 2022, says he will appeal the ban.
