Regional manager Shane O’Donoghue previews FAI Junior Cup clash

Regional United manager Shane O’Donoghue is excited by the challenge facing his young Regional side in the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup. On Sunday afternoon, the club welcome St. Paul’s Artane of the AUL league in Dublin to Dooradoyle (2.15). The tie is the last in the sixth round as there was a delay in the fixture between St Paul’s and MP FC which the AUL side won 2-1 last week.

Although it is difficult to scout opposition at junior level, O’Donoghue and his coaches watched St. Paul’s Artane in the victory over MP FC last weekend and says the opposition are of a high standard:

“Yeah we went up to see them on Sunday. We had our own game here on Saturday so we went up to see how they set up and play. We know they play in the AUL and that’s a very strong league. We will be well prepared come kick off on Sunday. We will be very confident at home with the squad we have and the morale we have that we will hopefully get the result on Sunday.”

O’Donoghue lost the services of Sean McSweeney to Limerick FC last week which was a blow but the team will be at full strength ahead of Sunday’s clash. O’Donoghue spent many years at Limerick FC and likens the current situation to that of when he first joined his hometown club:

“Yeah obviously we lost Sean to Limerick and we wish him all the best.There are striking similarities to when we played for Limerick in the late 90’s and early noughties in that it is mainly a young local squad. We hope that Tommy (Barrett) and the lads go well this year as it is going to be difficult. But on the flip side of that it’s great to see local guys getting a crack of the whip. Sean will be a loss to us no doubt about it. Other than that we will be a full strength. Clyde O’Connell has come through training.”

Once Shane left Limerick FC, he joined Regional as a player. The closest the side came to FAI Junior Cup glory was in 2009 when they lost at the semi-final stage to Fairview Rangers at Jackman Park. However, there have been many occasions where the Dooradoyle outfit have reached the last 16 and quarter final stages without ever pushing on. O’Donoghue believes the confidence levels in the squad in comparison with his time could make all the difference:

“When I look at the squads that I was involved in and look at the confidence levels of the young squad we have now, its admirable really. Looking back on it, when Regional teams were playing the likes of Fairview and Pike you could sense a bit of fear. But a lot of these guys coming through now don’t have a lot of experience of playing against a Pike or a Fairview in their pomp.

“They approach those games with no fear. Jack Lynch and Clyde O’Connell have come in to the squad this year and they have been a breath of fresh air. It’s fantastic for the club but also the group of lads who have been here for the last three or four years knocking on the door of the latter stages.”

Regional’s home form this season has been sensational including two thumping wins over league leaders Janesboro including one in this competition. The team have made the venue a fortress and O’Donoghue is confident that they can continue the run on Sunday:

“We have a very good record at home. We like to get the ball down and pass it. We will be doing the exact same thing on Sunday as we wont be changing how we play or anything like that. It suits the lads we have in our team to play on the astroturf.

“We have beaten Janesboro, Nenagh and Moyross in this competition and even to go away to the likes of Killarney and get a result down there when a lot of people didn’t fancy us was great. We have been taking our opportunities when we have got them. We have an opportunity to get to the next round and we will be giving it everything we can to get there.”