HAVING SETTLED back into league action with a 1-0 win over one of the team's looking to take their title, Graham Gartland is hoping that Drogheda United can take a major step forward in their pursuit of a trophy for this season by beating Bohemians in the pick of this evening's Ford FAI Cup games at Dalymount Park (live on TG4), writes Emmet Malone.
"It's something we're looking forward to," says the central defender. "The Cup is a realistic target. You only need five games to win the cup so if we get through this then it's only three more but we're well aware that they don't come much bigger than Bohs away, especially when they're top of the league."
Gartland had a particularly eventful time of it during United's brief European adventure, initially handing Levadia Tallinn a present of a goal here with a sloppy back pass but then scoring in both of his side's away ties and laying on another goal to leave him understandably proud of his overall contribution.
"It's gone now, though," he sighs. "It's great while it lasts but all you get in the end is a pat on the back, you get nothing else for it so we just have to get on with it now."
If the European games have no other benefit heading into this evening's game, however, they do go some way toward negating Bohemians' home advantage; United are now well used to playing at Dalymount, where the size of the pitch, they believe, suits their style of football.
"Away from United Park we actually tend to do quite well - the big pitches sort of help us," he says.
"At United Park, you can play the better football and still come off one all or one-nil down because it just gives teams the chance to get the ball into the box from anywhere on the pitch."
Pat Fenlon, who was set to complete the signing of former Republic of Ireland under-21 international Brendan McGill yesterday, has ongoing injury problems and so Owen and Thomas Heary are likely to continue their partnership in the heart of the defence.
John Paul Kelly misses the game through suspension, and Anto Murphy, who had been filling in for Owen Heary at right back, is cup-tied for tonight's encounter.
United manager Paul Doolin, meanwhile, must wait to see how Brian Shelley and Shane Robinson fare in late tests as they try to shake off injuries picked up in last Sunday's defeat of St Patrick's Athletic.
TONIGHT'S FIXTURES
FAI Cup: Fourth Round (7.45) - Bohemians v Drogheda, Dalymount Park; Bray Wanderers v Dundalk, Carlisle Grounds; Galway United v Athlone Town, Terryland Park; Shamrock Rovers v Cork City, Tolka Park, 8.0.
