Athlone v Galway Utd

Both sides have their problems but Don O'Riordan's Galway will start as favourites by virtue of their greatly improved form over the past couple of months as well as their fine away form.

Even so the fact that Eric Lavine is suspended and Fergal Coleman is cup tied means that Kieran Foley will have to return to the frontline where he will be joined by Michael Donnellan.

The United boss must surely have hoped for a better time to try out a new striking partnership but the hope will be that the pair's strength will cause difficulties for a home side that will be without central defender Tom Silke.

Like Silke, Alan Kelly is also suspended for the locals but Chris Malone returns from injury while Stuart Connolly, currently on loan from Bray, is available again. Both will probably start.

"It's important to us to get out of the bottom two of the league," says Athlone boss Jimmy Harte "but if we're going to get anything really positive out of the rest of this season then it's important that we win this game. Everybody know how important it is and we'll be going out there to beat them."

Route to third round: Athlone: beat Limerick 4-1 at home; Galway: Beat St Patrick's 3-2 away after extra time in replay.

Scheduled replay date: Tuesday, February 8th at 7.45.

Betting: Home: 11/4; Draw: 12/5; Away: 4/5.

Referee: G Perry (Dublin).

Bohemians v UCD

To judge by the managers this game means a good deal more to the visitors than to the hosts, with Roddy Collins preferring to concentrate even at this stage on next week's key league match against championship leaders Shelbourne.

"You look at who won the league last year and who won the cup," says Collins. "For us the league is the priority and the game against Shelbourne is the only thing I've been able to think about for the last couple of weeks. I'm not saying that we won't be going to out to win against UCD but the main thing is that the game is gotten out of the way without a replay."

Martin Moran sees things rather differently with the UCD boss eyeing up this evening's match as an opportunity for his players to build on the achievements of the last few weeks and keep the club in the hunt for a major honour. "If we lose the season isn't over because we're chasing a couple of clubs hard for a place in Europe but our form has been good and so this is an opportunity to make the last eight of the cup."

Moran will be without the suspended Aidan Lynch but Ciaran Kavanagh is available again after serving his ban. Mick O'Byrne (groin) is doubtful and Peter Hanrahan (Achilles) very doubtful but Barry Ryan (flu) should be okay. Collins, meanwhile, will be without Kevin Hunt (groin), Shaun Maher (knee), Mark Dempsey (Achilles) and Tony O'Connor (hamstring) while Avery John (stomach) and Paul Byrne (ankle) are expected to recover sufficiently to play.

Route to third round: Bohemians: Beat Cobh 1-0 away; UCD: Beat Monaghan United.

Scheduled replay date: February 8th at 7.45.

Betting: Home: evens; Draw: 5/2; Away: 2/1.

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).

Betting courtesy of Paddy Power