Treaty United Take on Maynooth University Town in FAI Cup

Treaty United travel to John Hyland Park in Dublin this evening to take on Kildare based Leinster Senior League side Maynooth University Town (5.30). Both sides will be hoping to be in the hat for the quarter final draw which will take place early next week.

Treaty United have already defeated one Leinster Senior League outfit in Usher Celtic to get to this stage of the competition. Dean George x2, Sean Guerins, Enda Curran and Success Edogun grabbed the goals on a comfortable evening for the League of Ireland side. Maynooth University Town beat FAI Junior Cup champions Villa FC 2-1 to get to this stage.

Treaty will be aware of the pitfalls of travelling to Baldonnell to face a non-league side as Maynooth are a division higher than Usher Celtic and have recent history of causing cup upsets as they overcame Cobh Ramblers at this stage of the competition last year to reach the last 8.

Tommy Barrett’s side enter the game off the back of a surprise defeat to Athlone Town in the first division last week. Goals from Thomas Oluwa and Adam Lennon gave Dermot Lennon’s side the win as the Limerick side were unable to build on a brilliant 0-2 victory over league leaders Cork City the previous week. Considering Treaty have drawn and lost in Athlone on an astroturf surface, an improvement in performance on that surface will be needed with this weekend’s game taking place on astro also.

When speaking to Treaty United’s Jason Shanahan, manager Barrett has warned against complacency and knows improvement will be needed this week to advance to the last 8 of the competition in the team’s second year competing in the FAI Cup.

“It’s going to be a tough game. They beat Cobh last year and knocked them out. We had a really tough game against Usher at the Markets Field who are in a lower division than Maynooth. The Leinster Senior League is very strong and has a lot of ex League of Ireland players. They are a young and hungry side. I watched the highlights of the Villa game and I have seen a video from last year. On astroturf, we weren’t great tonight (against Athlone) and we will have to be better on it next week.”

Treaty United have no new absentees of note although Jack Lynch is still making his way back from injury. Changes are expected for Treaty with Enda Curran likely to be recalled for this game in place of Success Edogun. Connor Winn may start in goal in place of Jack Brady as Barrett has given Winn plenty of opportunities in recent weeks and he started the first cup game against Usher.

Treaty will be hoping to join the likes of Shelbourne, Dundalk, Bohemians, Derry and UCD in the last 8. To hear the views of our Sporting Limerick soccer analyst Noel O’Connor ahead of the game, see below.