Murray looks for cup win to give timely boost

FAI Cup Semi-final preview/Bohemians v Cork City:Cork City skipper Dan Murray believes if his side beat Bohemians at Dalymount Park tonight and then go on to lift the Ford-sponsored FAI Cup at the start of December the victory could pave the way for bigger and better things next season.

"The club hasn't been able to buy players the way Drogheda and some of the other big clubs have over the last few years," he says. "But with the takeover that's gone on down here, it looks like Damien (Richardson) should have a bit of money to spend and hopefully that will help us to be up there, really challenging for the title next season.

"The cup would be a big prize for everybody that's here now but when it comes to persuading players to come to a club then European football is a prize for them and if Damien can point to us having won the cup and qualified for the Uefa Cup next summer then I think it will help him to get more players in of the calibre he signed at the start of this season.

"That's important because Drogheda have shown that you really need a strong squad to be contenders for the title now."

Murray accepts Cork have been disappointing over the course of this season but insists the upheaval caused by the loss of Alan Bennett and Danny Murphy combined with the fact Gareth Farrelly and Colin Healy had to wait months before playing for the club was always going to take a toll.

"Like Bohemians, we've improved as the season's gone on but we know we've conceded too many stupid goals and not scored enough when we've been on top in games," he says.

In the circumstances, he reckons, winning the FAI Cup would be a great return on what is basically a season of transition. The only problem being that Bohemians are probably looking at things in exactly the same way.

"Well, we've both got a lot to play for all right but they've already dumped us out of the League Cup at the quarter-finals stage and we want to put that right. That was a proper cup game with two teams really going out there to score goals," he recalls.

"They got two and we got ourselves back before they got a winner late in extra-time. I'd settle for the same sort of game . . . as long as we win it this time."

Cork will be without Darragh Ryan (pelvic strain) again while Brian O'Callaghan (hamstring), Denis Behan (hamstring) and Gareth Farrelly (chest infection) are all doubts. The home side have Stephen O'Donnell, Dessie Byrne and Liam Burns all suspended while Mark Rossiter (ankle), JP Kelly (hamstring), Chris Turner (groin) and Neale Fenn (ankle) all face tests.

In the night's league games, Waterford United take on Drogheda United hoping that the newly-crowned champions are still in celebration mode.

Waterford manager Gareth Cronin, whose side have taken seven points from their last three games, has Karl Bermingham available again but must cope without the suspended Robbie Hederman. "Every game now is like a cup final for us but the players have responded brilliantly," he says. "Now I need another big performance from them."

Derry City travel to Galway with plenty of empty places on the bus. Mark McChrystal, Sammy Morrow and Pat McCourt are injured while Barry Molloy, Ken Oman and Sean Hargan are all doubts. Several members of the club's successful under-21 side could make competitive senior debuts.

Both of the First Division's top two sides are also in action with Finn Harps taking on Kildare at home while Cobh Ramblers head to Tolka Park for a clash with Shelbourne.

Venue: Dalymount Park Kick-off: 7.30. On TV: RTÉ 2