Dundalk FC can equal a 50-year FAI Cup record in 12th competition meeting with Sligo Rovers
Extra.ie FAI Cup
Treble-chasing Dundalk FC can become the first club in 50 years to reach a fifth consecutive FAI Cup final, with a huge prize at stake when they face Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Sunday (kick-off: 5pm, live on RTÉ Two).
Shamrock Rovers are the only other club to achieve the feat, doing it twice – reaching five-in-a-row between 1929-33 and six between 1964-69. They won all 11 finals.
Dundalk have faced Cork City in the last four deciders, where the trophy was shared with two victories each. The fallen Leesiders exited this year’s competition at the last 16 stage.
Rovers – the 24-time winners chasing their first FAI Cup success since 1987, when they beat Dundalk – and Bohemians, who won it for the seventh time in 2008, contest the other semi-final on Friday night.
Vinny Perth saw his side smash two club records over the past 10 days. Their EA SPORTS Cup final win in Derry set a new 27-match unbeaten record in domestic competition, and last Friday’s 1-0 win in Waterford made it 22 league games undefeated in a single season for the very first time – passing the 21-game run of 1975/76.
Sunday will be the 12th FAI Cup tie between Dundalk and Sligo, and their first semi-final meeting since 25,000 crammed into Dalymount Park over 80 years ago, in March 1939. The Bit O’ Red then had legendary English forward Dixie Dean in their ranks.
Dundalk, at the time, were considered to have a ‘FAI Cup jinx’, having lost their three finals prior to that last-four defeat, with ex-Shamrock Rovers star Bob Fullam suggesting “before Dundalk ever win a Cup, they will need to buy it”.
How times have changed, and this weekend the club’s golden generation can write another little bit of history into their ever-expanding record books.