St Patrick's Athletic vs Bohemians: FAI Cup Quarter-Final Showdown

St Patrick's Athletic have been handed another Dublin derby in the Club Orange FAI Cup – and it’s a blockbuster.

Fresh from dumping out holders Shamrock Rovers last Sunday, the Saints will now face Bohemians in a home quarter-final that doubles as a rerun of the 2023 decider. Same clubs, same edge, but this time the stakes are a place in the last four rather than silverware on the line.

Richmond Park will carry the weight of that recent history. Pat’s, buoyed by the scalp of Rovers, now have to go again against a Bohs side who know exactly what it takes to navigate this competition. The rivalry rarely needs extra spice. The draw has given it anyway.

Derry City vs Dundalk

Elsewhere, Derry City and Dundalk have been paired in a heavyweight tie at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. Two clubs with serious cup pedigree, one of them gone before the semi-finals. The Brandywell under lights on a knockout weekend rarely disappoints.

Bottom of the Table Showdown

The other half of the draw throws the spotlight on the struggle at the foot of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division. All four remaining teams come from the bottom end of the table, but the cup offers a different kind of escape route.

Drogheda United will host Galway United, a tie that feels as much about momentum for the league run-in as it does about reaching the last four. At the RSC, a resurgent Waterford FC welcome Sligo Rovers, with home form and belief suddenly turning the south-east into a difficult trip again.

All four quarter-finals are scheduled for the weekend of 4-6 September, with RTÉ Sport set to screen two of the ties live.

The road to the Aviva is narrowing. For Pat’s and Bohs in particular, that 2023 final is no longer a memory – it’s the backdrop to another defining night.