FAI Cup: College Corinthians out to upset League of Ireland side Drogheda at home 

College Corinthians are out to make history when they face Drogheda United in the third round of the Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup at home this Saturday, kick-off 4pm.

They  are the last team from Cork left in the competition and they are out to become the first Munster Senior League side to reach the quarter finals since Avondale United in 2014.

The carrot is massive, as the club looks to take down a Drogheda side that lifted the trophy in 2024 with a victory over Derry City in the decider at the Aviva Stadium.

Gary Hackett’s team can only focus on themselves, with the FAI Cup fixture part of a packed August that began with a defeat to Mayfield United in the Keane Cup and will include a meeting with St Mary’s in the quarter finals of the FAI intermediate Cup.

Drogheda are up next and the full scale of their task is best measured by history, and the growing gulf between the League of Ireland and amateur ranks.

There was a time when the gap was small, and upsets were a common occurrence in the competition.

This made it possible for Munster Senior League sides to venture far, and have very real aspirations of making it to the final. 

Cobh Ramblers are a testament to that after their famous trilogy of relays against Sligo Rovers in the 1983 semi-finals, with the Bit O’Red going on to defeat Bohemians in the decider at Dalymount Park.

Midleton recorded their own history in the competition in 1990 by knocking out defending champions Bray Wanderers. 

Rockmount went on to reach the quarter finals in 2004 and lost to Waterford in a replay at Turner’s Cross following a 2-2 draw at the RSC.

Avondale picked up the baton in the 2010s by getting the better of Carrigaline United, Collinstown, and St. Michaels AFC, before losing to Finn Harps in a replay.

Rockmount were one game off the quarter finals in 2023 after victories over Home Farm and Gorey Rangers, and they went down to Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Results for amateur sides against League of Ireland teams have been few and far between in recent years. 

One of the most recent was Cobh Ramblers, when they lost to Maynooth University Town in 2021, and that was seen as a major upset at the time. 

There has been close calls, like Treaty United needed extra-time and penalties to get the better of Kilbarrack United at the Markets Field.

Corinthians have been preparing for this challenge since the draw was made at the end of July, while looking at the first few weeks of the new Munster Senior League season.

Corinthians have prepared for this stretch by re-signing Harvey Skieters, who had a brief stint at the club before moving to Eastbourne Borough FC in the Isthmian League last spring.

Everyone else has stayed from the 2025-26 campaign, and they are now preparing to face a Drogheda side that sit in ninth place in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

Kevin Doherty’s team are in a strange battle this year, as they are fighting to avoid the drop in a congested table where 15 points separates seven teams.

Drogheda could go down, or get Europe, which only heightens the importance of the cup in their season.

The club started their campaign in the second round, where they hammered non-league Lucan United 4-0 at Weavers Park.

They built on this by drawing three consecutive games in the league, with their most recent results being successive stalemates with Shamrock Rovers and Galway United. Drogheda almost lost out West, but they survived from the spot when David Hurley missed a penalty.

The draw has slightly boosted their chance of survival, and the cup will offer some form of break this week.

Doherty, who attended Corinthians’ defeat to Mayfield in the Keane Cup, may use the occasion to rotate given the club’s priority is the league and safety. 

Hackett and his management team can only look internally, as they get ready for the biggest game of their careers.