Cobh Ramblers face Cork City in opening round of FAI Cup
There will be a mouthwatering Leeside derby at St Colman’s Park at the end of July after Cobh Ramblers were drawn at home to Cork City in the opening round of the FAI Cup on Tuesday afternoon in Abbotstown.
Four-time winners of the competition, City are currently second in the SSE Airtricity League First Division, a single point adrift of pace-setters Galway United. Cobh (who occupy eight-place in the second-tier) crashed out to non-league Maynooth University Town in the second round of the 2021 Cup, but will have their sights set on causing an upset of their own on the week ending July 31.
St Patrick’s Athletic will begin the defence of their title with a home tie against Waterford, who secured their second FAI Cup success in 1980 with a final victory over the Saints. Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers – who remain on top of this competition’s roll of honours with 25 titles – have been drawn away to Leinster Senior League outfit Bangor Celtic.
Treaty United will welcome Usher Celtic to Market’s Field while their fellow Limerick men Pike Rovers are set to take on Bonagee United in Donegal. The Munster contingent in the 32-team opening draw was completed by Villa FC, who were drawn away to the aforementioned Maynooth University Town.
In the opening round of the FAI Women’s Cup, 2017 champions Cork City are set to play host to Bonagee United – one of four non-league sides to be included in this year’s edition of the competition.
Leeside outfit Douglas Hall also fall into this category and will pay a visit to Women’s National League newcomers Sligo Rovers on the second weekend in July. There are just two all-WNL clashes in the initial phase of the cup with Bohemians welcoming Galway to Dalymount Park and Limerick’s Treaty United making a trip to south Dublin to face DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl.
2021 finalists – winners Wexford Youths and runners-up Shelbourne – have received a bye into the last-eight.
Cobh Ramblers v Cork City; Treaty United v Usher Celtic; Salthill Devon v Malahide United; Sligo Rovers v Wexford; Dundalk v Longford Town; Lucan United v Killester/Donnycarney; Bonagee United v Pike Rovers; Derry City v Oliver Bond Celtic; UCD v Cockhill Celtic; Drogheda United v Athlone Town; St Patrick’s Athletic v Waterford; Finn Harps v Bohemians; Bray Wanderers v Shelbourne; Bangor Celtic v Shamrock Rovers; Bluebell United v Galway United; Maynooth University Town v Villa
Sligo Rovers v Douglas Hall; Whitehall Rangers v Athlone Town; Cork City v Bonagee United; Bohemians v Galway; Peamount United v Finglas United; DLR Waves v Treaty United
Wexford Youths, Shelbourne