Derry City to host Shelbourne in FAI Cup quarter-finals in repeat of 2022 decider

First Division side will play in the semi-finals after Wexford drawn at home to Athlone Town

Derry City's Patrick McEleney lifts the FAI Cup trophy after the victory over Shelbourne at the Aviva Stadium in November 2022. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Derry City's Patrick McEleney lifts the FAI Cup trophy after the victory over Shelbourne at the Aviva Stadium in November 2022. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

In a repeat of the 2022 decider, Derry City will host Shelbourne at the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium in the FAI Cup quarter-finals.

Having narrowly avoided elimination last Sunday away to Kerry FC, Bohemians must travel across Dublin to play UCD.

A First Division club is guaranteed to make the semi-finals as Wexford host Treaty United at Ferrycarrig Park, with the last eight made up by another second tier side, Athlone Town facing Drogheda United at Lissywollen.

The ties will be played on the weekend of September 13th to 15th.

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The FAI Cup champions are guaranteed a place in the Uefa Conference League as a second-round qualifier.

The average attendance for the last three FAI Cup finals at the Aviva Stadium has been 37,806 as the day has become the showpiece event for Irish domestic football. Two of the previous three finals have seen St Pat’s overcome Bohs while Derry beat Shels 4-0 in 2022.

However, with one of the Premier Division top two, Derry or Shels, set to be knocked out, the open draw could pit two First Division sides against each other in the November 10th final.

Shels and Bohs are both seven-time winners, Derry have captured the cup on six occasions while Drogheda’s only title came in 2005. UCD’s solitary success was in 1984 and Athlone won the FAI Cup in 1924.

Speaking before the draw, Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson paid tribute to the atmosphere around the League of Ireland games he has attended.

“I’ve seen too few, and plan to see more,” said Hallgrímsson. “I’ve been watching the teams, especially in the European games and it might even change the culture of Irish football if [Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic both] qualify for the group stages.”

Hallgrímsson is set to announce his first Ireland squad ahead of the Nations League ties against England and Greece next month.

“There is a lot of games to watch as the [Irish] players are spread over a lot of teams.

“There is a lot of hype around the England game but, for me, the more important game is the Greece game. It may be strange to say this, but Ireland lost two times against them in the Euros [qualification] so we need to do better against them.”

FAI Cup quarter-final draw

UCD v Bohemians

Athlone Town v Drogheda United

Wexford v Treaty United

Derry City v Shelbourne

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent