FAI Cup semi-final preview
Bohemians v Derry City, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
For Bohemians, the entire season comes down to this match at Dalymount Park.
“Derry on their day are the best team in the league so, to a man, we will have to give absolutely everything of ourselves,” said Bohs manager Alan Reynolds. “We haven’t had the season we want in the league, so this is a massive opportunity for us to achieve something this year.”
For Derry City, the league and cup double is still attainable as the winners tonight face either Drogheda United or Wexford in the final at the Aviva Stadium on November 10th.
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This year’s cup semi-finals have an unusual influence on both the Premier Division relegation situation and qualification for Europe in 2025.
Bohs’ victory at Oriel Park last Friday appeared to condemn Dundalk to the drop while keeping Reynolds’ side four points clear of Drogheda and a relegation play-off, that is scheduled for the same weekend as the cup final.
It is likely that one or both Bohemians and Drogheda will have a chance to secure European football and suffer relegation within a couple of days.
This odd situation fits neatly with the domestic season at large. Nothing has made much sense.
If Derry maintain their current league position of second, and beat Bohs before winning the cup for the second time in three years, the club that finishes fourth will qualify for the Uefa Conference League. It means this fixture is of extra interest to Shamrock Rovers, Galway United, St Patrick’s Athletic, Sligo Rovers and Waterford.
Subplots are also evident in the opposing dugouts as Reynolds was assistant coach to Derry manager Ruaidhrí Higgins when they won the cup in 2022, while Bohs assistant manager Stephen O’Donnell is a former house mate of Higgins.
“It is true, they know how I think about the game,” said Higgins. “I know how they think about the game, so I’d imagine they’ll definitely throw something in that we mightn’t expect, and we might throw something in that they mightn’t expect.”
Expect the unexpected. At least Reynolds’ wildly inconsistent team is boosted by the return of Jordan Flores from injury, although doubts surround the availability of forwards James Akintunde and Alex Greive, which suggests a false nine role for Ross Tierney.
Even considering the mid-season return of former Bohs, Dawson Devoy and Tierney, Derry have a superior side on paper. This was expected to be the year they make use of billionaire owner Philip O’Doherty’s financial support but their record away from the Brandywell has been abysmal, picking up 19 points from 16 games.
“It’s not like we’re a team that is emerging,” said Higgins after the latest disappointment, a 2-1 loss in Drogheda last weekend, “we’re a team that we feel is ready to win trophies”.
Bohemians will feel exactly the same, having lost cup finals in 2021 and 2023.
