St Patrick's Athletic Face Bohemians in FAI Cup Quarter-Finals

St Patrick's Athletic have been handed another Dublin derby in the Club Orange FAI Cup – and it’s a blockbuster.

Fresh from dumping holders Shamrock Rovers out of the competition last Sunday, the Saints will face Bohemians in the quarter-finals, a rerun of the 2023 final and a tie loaded with recent history. This time, it’s Inchicore that gets it, with St Pat’s at home to the Gypsies.

The draw keeps the heavyweights apart elsewhere too. Derry City will host Dundalk at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, a fixture that rarely needs extra spice in any competition, never mind at this stage of the cup.

The other side of the draw belongs to the strugglers, but the stakes are no lower. All four remaining clubs come from the bottom end of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division, fighting on two fronts: survival and silverware.

Drogheda United will welcome Galway United, a tie that feels like an opportunity and a trap at the same time. Over in the south-east, a resurgent Waterford FC will fancy their chances at the RSC, where they take on Sligo Rovers in a game that could tilt the mood of both seasons.

All four quarter-finals are scheduled for the weekend of 4–6 September, with RTÉ Sport set to televise two of the ties.

The road to the Aviva now runs through Dublin, Derry, Drogheda and Waterford. Who handles the pressure best will decide whose season explodes into life – and whose ends with a familiar regret.