Bohemians and Rovers in Dublin derby

Fresh from their quarter-final defeat of last year's winners Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers were handed a visit to the capital's other title chasers last night when they were drawn away to Bohemians in the next round of the Harp Lager FAI Cup.

Rovers, looking for their first cup in nearly a decade and a half will take on Roddy Collins's side at Dalymount Park on Good Friday, April 13th, while the remaining quarter-final tie between Portmarnock and Longford Town will take place two days later with the winners travelling to Waterford United on date to be decided.

Damien Richardson, whose Shelbourne sides made a habit of coming through tough away fixtures on the two occasions the club won the trophy under his management, clearly could have hoped for a slightly kinder draw last night although his willingness to have last week's replay, which should have been a home game, against Shelbourne played at Tolka Park suggests that the away draw won't have upset him too much.

"It was bound to happen," he laughed afterwards. "There was everybody talking in that slightly arrogant way about the two big premier division clubs meeting in the final and the next thing you know we're drawn against each other in the round before.

"I just had this funny feeling that we were going to meet in the semi-final. I think it's a long time since the two clubs have met in the cup so all in all it should be a terrific occasion."

The managers of the two other senior clubs will have been quietly chuffed to have avoided the big Dublin outfits with Longford's league position suggesting that they should make the final and Waterford's home advantage against the winners of the remaining quarter-final giving them every chance of coming through.

United's manager, Paul Power, would do no more than welcome the fact that his side will again be playing at the Regional Sports Centre in their semi-final, observing that, "we're a good footballing side and we're only 90 minutes away from a final so I'm delighted to get the home draw."

Portmarnock's John Hayes, meanwhile, was clearly thrilled that his side were still involved at last night's draw but wasn't overly concerned about his club's potential opposition at the semi-final stage, remarking that "we've had to play an awful lot of games to get to here but for the moment we're just looking forward to getting to take on Longford on Sunday week".