FAI Preview: St Michael's AFC -v- Avondale United

• Stephen Walsh
• Sat, Aug 23 2014




ST MICHAEL’S AFC

The current FAI Junior Cup champions will face current FAI Intermediate Cup champions Avondale United in Cooke Park this Sunday with a 3pm kick off. This will be the second meeting between the sides in recent weeks with Michael’s defeating Avondale 2-0 at the same venue on the 10^th of August with goals from Pa Quinn and Darren Lynch.

 

St. Michael’s are in a good run of form recently with the first team recently claiming the John Delaney Cup with a 2-1 victory over neighbours Nenagh FC on a 2-1 score line last Friday night.

 

Michael’s are a team who have so far defeated UCC in the previous round 4-2 but they needed a replay to see off the Cork students having drawn the first game 0-0 down in Cork.

 

Michael’s are a team packed with Irish internationals and they will be hoping for the likes of Paul Breen, Jimmy Carr and Chris Higgins to lead them into the quarter finals of the Cup where they will be hoping to join the likes of Shamrock Rovers and Finn Harps in the next round.

 

The club put this notice on their website stmichaelsfc.com hoping to get a crowd in support of the team this Sunday “It’s a massive day for the Club and we do hope that the people of Tipperary and Soccer County of Tipperary get behind us and cheer us on. We hope to get a bumper crowd at Cooke Park- all support would be much appreciated and we wish our lads all the very best for this huge fixture”.

 

At the time of going to press no information could be got with regards to injury or suspensions relating to the Michael’s squad.

 

AVONDALE UNITED

The current FAI Intermediate Cup champions Avondale United who won this title defeating UCD last May 3-0 will be hoping to progress in the FAI Ford Cup senior cup this Sunday against St Michaels.

 

Avondale United lost to St Michael’s 2-0 in the Tom Hand Cup on the 10^th of August in Cooke Park and they will be hoping for a different performance this weekend as they seek to progress to the quarter finals.

 

New manager Dave O’ Keefe who himself won numerous cups with Avondale will be hoping for a cup run in his first campaign as Avondale manager haven taken over the reins of the Intermediate Cup champions from John Ryan over the summer months.

Avondale United are backboned by a strong contingent of Irish internationals including Danny O’ Leary and Kenny Murphy who will be key to whether their team progress to the next round of the Cup.

 

Avondale progressed to this round of the cup via a 2-0 victory over local rivals Carrigaline United in Carrigaline.

 

At the time of going to press no information could be got with regards to injury or suspensions relating to the Michael’s squad.

 

Referee: Jonathan Walshe

 

 

MATCH FACTS

Shane Long the current Irish international is a former player of St. Michael’s.

 

Avondale United have won the Intermediate Cup four times in a row more than any other Munster side.

 

Both sides won their previous round by two goals.

 

 

BETTING

St Michaels 11/10, Draw 12/5, Avondale United15/8.

 

PREDICTION

St Michaels 1-0 Avondale United

 

 

St Michaels AFC

Injured: Unknown
Doubtful: Unknown
Suspended: Unknown

 

Avondale United

Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspensions: None