You’re playing the Leinster Senior Cup. You get through your first few games and then you draw Shamrock Rovers. There’s many a division, championship and experience between your sides. You’re the underdog.
But they’re in your back yard. You’re hungry. Relentless. And in the 92nd minute you nick a winner that sends fans – including our own Kevin Regan on commentary – into raptures.
The mother of all shocks, they said.
Enter Dreamland
Fast forward from the celebrations, and Thomastown have landed the tie of the round as a date with league champions and UEFA Europa League heroes, Dundalk.
Monday night’s draw sends Thomastown packed to Oriel Park for a fixture that will go down in the club’s history – regardless of the outcome.
Leinster Senior Cup Quarter Final draw, @DundalkFC v @ThomastownUtd. We don't get to say that everyday!!
— Thomastown United (@ThomastownUtd) February 27, 2017
“To say Thomastown United are in dreamland at the moment is an understatement”, says United chairman Paul Doyle.
“Just 10 days ago we defeated seventeen time League of Ireland Champions Shamrock Rovers 1-0 and just last night we were rewarded with a trip to current League of Ireland Champions Dundalk FC”.
“We were in a meeting last night awaiting word from the draw, all watching the video together and when the draw was made we erupted.”
“Yet again we have another massive day for the club. We work tirelessly to make our club one of the best in the South East on a weekly basis and finally we are getting the recognition for it.”
“Dundalk are, at the moment, the biggest team in Ireland and for a Junior club like ourselves to get the chance to play them is unreal.”
“We were just coming down off the high from beating Shamrock Rovers and now this has put us all back up there again. To play in Oriel Park against the current champions is what dreams are made of.”
“You never know they might reverse the fixture again and we bring them down to United Park!”
As it stands, the fixture is booked for Oriel Park, though at date has yet to be set. Dundalk got their League of Ireland campaign off to a winning start, defeating Shamrock Rovers last Friday thanks to goals in either half from Robbie Benson and Ciaran Kilduff.
The remainder of the draw sees St Patricks Athletic vs Firhouse Clover or Longford Town, Bohemians v Shelbourne and UCD v Cabinteely or Athlone Town.
When the game does come around, we’ll have live commentary and analysis on KCLRFanzone.com so you won’t miss any of the action.
