DEFENDING champions Shelbourne play host to Dundalk in the second round of the Harp Lager FAI Cup, the draw for which was made yesterday. It is one of three all-Premier Division clashes: St Patrick's Athletic, last season's beaten finalists, make the journey to Sligo, while league strugglers Home Farm face a trip to the Brandywell.
Shelbourne's draw is in stark contrast to their first round tie against non-league outfit Everton, but manager Damien Richardson welcomed the task, remarking: "In the cup it's often the unknowns that can trip you up.
"In many respects a draw like this is better. You know exactly what you are getting with a side like Dundalk. We know that it is going to be a very difficult match, but we'll know exactly what we have to do to prepare for it."
The three remaining non-league teams in the competition, mean while, received tough assignments: Rockmount travel to Drogheda United, Wayside Celtic go to Bohemians and Dublin University are drawn at home to Bray Wanderers.
Wayside's chances of reaching the quarter-finals for a second successive year might have been reduced by having been drawn away to Bohemians, but their manager, Peter Lennon, was still delighted that the club which put Finn Harps out last weekend had been rewarded with another crack at a Premier Division side.
"I think it is a great draw for us. To play at Dalymount Park will be a great experience for the team and, in terms of opposition, they don't come any bigger than Bohemians.
"If you look at them player by player they are all big signings. They would have to do poorly and we would certainly have to play well if we were to do some damage, but you, never know, we'll give it a try.
Bray manager Pat Devlin is likely to get a look at his second round opposition this weekend when his reserve team faces the students in the league, while Anto Whelan will be hoping that his trip to Cobh with Drogheda tomorrow week coincides with a Rockmount game.
"We won't be underestimating them after what happened to Finn Harps, and with a bit of luck we'll get a look at them when we go down to play Cobh," Whelan said yesterday.
"It will be an important match for us and it's one that obviously we think we have a chance to win. No disrespect to Rockmount, but if you get to the quarter-finals you are pretty much bound to get a big side and if we could bring one of the big sides to United Park and get the local people out to support us then we'd be delighted."
In the remaining fixtures, Shamrock Rovers, who scraped through in extra time against Limerick last Sunday, must this time travel to Waterford, while St Francis, who were beaten in the final in 1990, will take on the beaten 1992 finalists, Cork City, at Turner's Cross.
"The first thing you always want in the cup is a home draw, but failing that the bigger the team you get the better," said St Francis manager Pete Mahon. "Our lads will be delighted to go down to Cork. Dave Barry has done a terrific job down there after a terrible start to the season and for me it will be a great opportunity for me to see how far our club still has to go.
"We'll enjoy it, and you never know how we'll do," he added, "because we've shocked a team or two in the cup before."
Bohemians have been installed as 7 to 2 favourites for the Cup by bookmakers Paddy Power, with Derry at 9 to 2 and Shelbourne at 5 to 1.
