FAI Cup draw Quarter-final draw: Non-league side Killester United may have missed out on the home tie they craved but club officials believe their quarter-final trip to Sligo Rovers is "a fairytale draw" nonetheless.
The club concede an upset against their Premier Division opponents is extremely unlikely but one particular supporter appears to have more faith in the north Dublin side.
"One of the lads," says club secretary Martin Stanley, "fancied our chances at the start of the year and placed a €20 each-way bet at 500 to 1 on us going all the way. It's a touch far-fetched for sure but a nice yarn around the club."
After toppling fellow non-league side Wayside Celtic in the second round, Killester were then paired with Dublin City but the ensuing collapse of Ronan Seery's side secured them a bye to the quarter-finals.
"That was a shame in many ways," says Stanley. "We quite fancied our chances of playing Dublin City at home as they weren't going through the best of times at that stage and our lads really fancied their chances.
"The fact we went without that game means the lads are even more up for Sligo. (Manager) Joey Graydon will be delighted and will have his homework done, no question. It really is a fairytale that we're still going strong."
Sligo manager Seán Connor will afford his opponents the respect he feels they deserve but still expects his side, beaten by Cork at this stage last year, to win comfortably.
"Of course I'll do my research and be professional but I'm also not going to sit here and pretend we shouldn't win the game," he says.
"It's a great incentive for me and the players to be looking down the barrel of a semi-final. I'm not going to play mind games because people will see straight through that. It's a game we're expected to win and the fans know that."
The tie of the round sees St Patrick's Athletic host Longford Town, the modern-day cup specialists, at Inchicore.
The two sides enjoyed memorable cup battles three seasons ago. Longford beat the Dublin side in the final - and subsequently followed up with a successful defence a year later - while St Patrick's won out in the League Cup final.
"On our day, like when we beat Cork in the second round, we can beat anyone," says Longford manager Alan Matthews.
"But we don't hit 'our day' enough and that's been a problem at times."
Does the "cup specialist" tag put more pressure on the club?
"You ask anyone in Longford who has been associated with the club for a long period of time and they'll tell you it doesn't matter a jot, they welcome it in fact."
Cup favourites Derry host UCD at the Brandywell but will approach the tie with caution having failed to break down Pete Mahon's side last weekend.
Finally, Shamrock Rovers travel to Athlone in an all first division tie but manager Pat Scully fancies his side's chances having eliminated Bohemians at the second time of asking.
"No one gave us a chance against Bohemians," he says. "Athlone are a different challenge but we've beaten them twice in the league and we know we're the better team."
Sligo Rovers v Killester Utd
Athlone Town v Shamrock Rovers
Derry City v UCD
St Patrick's Athletic v Longford Town
Ties to be played week ending October 1st.
