Fanad United eyes FAI Junior Cup quarter-final spot this weekend

Fanad United are looking to make home comforts count in the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup this Sunday.  

They have their sights on something special as they welcome Tramore AFC from Waterford to north Donegal  

Striker Edward O’Reilly knows they’re stronger than they’ve been in weeks as they come into the latter half of the season. Injuries have continued to plague the reigning Premier Division champions but with nearly a full squad assembled the Fanad goalscorer believes it’s time to go for broke and break the glass ceiling in this FAI Junior Cup competition.

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"We have a full squad back for this weekend, we’re still missing Paddy McGinley who is a big loss for us but other than that we are fairly strong," he says.   

"I suppose a big setback for us this season is that we’ve had bother with injuries, which has probably been reflected in our league results and performances, but we’re hoping to have a good craic now in the cup."  

The league has been a bruising reality at times. Back-to-back Premier Division titles confirmed their quality, but this campaign has lacked fluency.   

A mixture of absences and inconsistency has left them chasing ground. Yet, in the cup, the form book is often torn apart, and Fanad has built momentum with a defensive structure that few have breached.  

"We were very dominant in that game against Harding, in fairness to us," O’Reilly reflects regarding his side’s 3-0 victory over Dublin side Harding FC in their last cup outing.   

"I think we could’ve put five goals past them that day, but a big positive for us this year is that we’ve been really solid defensively. In the FAI Junior Cup alone, we’ve only conceded one goal and that was against St John’s of Roscommon."  

That kind of defensive record is the foundation of any cup run. But even O’Reilly admits they need to sharpen the blade up front.   

"Even last weekend when we played Gweedore Celtic in the league, we scored four goals but we probably could’ve scored more," he says. "So, I think the big thing for this weekend against Tramore is that when we get our chances, we have to take them.  

"We need to be that bit more clinical in front of goal, that’s myself included too. So, if we can get those scoring opportunities and keep our defensive record, we won’t be that bad. It’s probably that bit better that we’re at home too which is great."  

That home advantage will matter. Fanad have long prided themselves on the resilience of their own patch, a place where the elements and a fierce collective will have so often combined to make life difficult for visitors.  

Still, the unknown regarding their opponents lingers.   

"We don’t know an awful lot about Tramore except for the fact that they’re very competitive in the Waterford League," O’Reilly admits.   

"Villa, who are from Waterford, are still in the FAI Junior Cup as well, they’re a great side and Tramore had a few tight matches with them earlier this season, so I’m sure they’ll be an excellent side.  

"But we expect that because any side that’s left in the cup at this stage is going to be a really strong team."  

And so, they take it one game at a time. The league is still very much a focus for Arthur Lynch’s men but with a long and hard road in front of them locally, they know that they have an incredible opportunity to snatch some national silverware.  

"It’s a bit of a cliché, but with the cup and the league, it’s about taking it one game at a time and preparing for whatever competition that’s in front of us," says O’Reilly. "At the minute, we have our eyes set on trying to do well in the cup.  

"That’s the target. We’d love to go on and win it and that’s probably our main target this season. Now, we still have a lot of ground to make up in the league but we’re not giving up on that either, so it’s just about taking it game by game and trying to get a result in all of them.  

"To win this cup and replicate what Cockhill Celtic did last year, that would be brilliant. That was a great lift for their club, so hopefully we can bring the same joy to Fanad this season."  

Sunday will reveal more. The road ahead won’t be easy, but at Fanad United, they know exactly what’s at stake.