Cork City's reward for their cup win over St Patrick's Athletic is a trip to the Brandywell in mid-September with Peter Hutton's side now standing between the southerners and a place in the competition's last four.
"After a disappointing weekend in the league last week, the most important thing was that we beat St Patrick's," says City boss John Caulfield, "but once we did that there was always a chance we were going to end having to go to Dundalk, Derry or Sligo Rovers; someone like that.
“Obviously we’d have preferred a home draw but to be still in the cup at this stage is the important thing; we’ve a couple of important league games to come between now and then but when the game comes around we’ll be well prepared for it.”
City are effectively chasing European qualification in the league at this stage but the cup, in addition to the attraction of the trophy itself, offers Europa League insurance too. "It's important that we're in Europe next season," says Caulfield, "and we'll chase that on every front but the cup is special too because we don't win too many trophies; two leagues and two cups in 31 years shows how difficult it is, and it's something you'd dearly love to win."
Caulfield’s men have beaten Derry twice in the league so far this season, scoring five without reply, but, he says, “they’ve been rejuvenated a bit over the last month and then you’re looking at them in last year’s final and the great tradition they have in the competition; it’ll be a tough game, we know that, but we’ll be ready for it.”
It will come in the middle of a difficult spell for City who face trips to Bray and St Patrick’s either side of the long one north but Caulfield is upbeat about the task faced by his team in the wake of such a big win at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.
A key aspect of that game was the return of Billy Dennehy to the side after more than a month of exile following a fall-out that appeared to mark the end of the player's time at the club.
“Look, some things happened and while the window was open he had the option of leaving,” says Caulfield, “but for a variety of reasons that didn’t happen and once the window closed, he started training with the squad again.
“Friday’s game probably came too soon for him in terms of starting but he did well when he came on and it was good to see him score. We had a good talk and sorted a few things out” he continues. “My job is to put the best team available out on the field to represent the club and when Billy’s right then he’s a top player. Hopefully he’ll play an important part for us between now and the rest of the season.”
In the rest of the cup draw, meanwhile, league leaders Dundalk have been handed a home draw with Sligo Rovers while the winners of Monday’s replay between Athlone Townand Sheriff YC must head to Longford. The one non-league side sure of a place in the quarters, Killester United, have been draw away to Bray Wanderers.
Quater-finals draw: Bray Wanderers v Killester united, Derry City v Cork City, Longford Town v Athlone Town/Sheriff YC, Dundalk v Sligo Rovers. Ties will be played over the weekend ending September 13th.
