Following Saturday’s sobering 2-0 loss away to Sligo Rovers,
Derry City now regroup and turn to cup action. Limerick’s Treaty United welcome
the Candystripes as both sides kick off their FAI Cup campaigns for 2025,
whilst looking to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing defeat. Derry
City will also be the only side Treaty United have met twice in FAI Cup action,
with the previous outing being 2022’s semi-final.
Derry City:
As the City faithful descended on Sligo last Saturday, with
temperatures touching the 30C mark, it seemed like we had a proper day of
summer football ahead. The away end in the Showgrounds was packed with red and
white but, in the baking heat, City failed to make it five wins in a row.
Crucially, it marked defeat in one of two games in hand on Shamrock Rovers at
the top of the table.
It was all Sligo Rovers for most of the early exchanges, as
the home side piled the pressure on the Derry goal and blocked their visitors
from making many forays out of their own half. The energy of Ryan O’Kane and
Owen Elding on either wing troubled City’s defence, which was without Kevin
Holt – adding fuel to the fire of his rumoured departure.
It only took eighteen and a half minutes for the home side
to find the opener, which came through Derry native and former player Patrick
McClean. The defender found space at the back post to volley a Jake Doyle-Hayes
corner past Brian Maher. City now on the back foot with more than 70 minutes
left to play.
Within three minutes, the visitors came painfully close to
equalising when Hayden Cann’s header from a corner was cleared off the line.
Derry failed to threaten again in the first half and were punished on the
stroke of the break. Jad Hakiki played the ball to winger Ryan O’Kane after
surging forward. O’Kane’s cross wasn’t dealt with by Brian Maher, who got a
hand to the ball but was left stranded in the middle of the box. Wilson Waweru,
linked with a callup to the Kenyan national team, was on hand to put his side
2-0 up.
Two behind at the break and having struggled in the first
half, it looked like City had a mountain to climb to get anything out of the
game. An early goal in the second half would’ve been crucial, and did almost
come after just two minutes when Sam Sargeant expertly denied Michael Duffy.
Another brilliant save from Sergeant late in the half denied Hayden Cann once
again, but Derry failed to create anything of meaning. Sligo Rovers, who found
space in behind and should’ve been three of four up if it weren’t for the
linesman’s flag or poor finishing, were deserving of their win. A tough one to
take for the travelling Candystripes.
Derry City’s loss on Saturday meant that they had wasted a
chance to cut the gap to the top with one of their two precious games in hand.
With Bohemians dispatching Galway United on Friday, City returned to second
place and stayed there following Derry’s defeat. The clash between second and
third next week, both teams’ final game in hand, will be crucial in determining
any slither of a title charge.
Saturday’s defeat was City’s fifth loss on the road in 2025,
something which they’ll be desperate not to repeat in Limerick on Friday.
Despite the loss, and with all due respect to Treaty United, City really should
be winning and progressing to the next round.
The omission of Kevin Holt on the left side of defence
proved costly for City, who lost an experienced head in the backline but saw
Shane Ferguson handed a start on his 34th birthday. Rovers’ first
goal showed that City were missing that bit of physicality in the box and were
duly punished. Brian Maher’s error for the second was unfortunate but came at a
crucial juncture in the game. If City went in to the break just 1-0 down, we may have come
away with something.
Alex Bannon had his first taste of competitive Irish football after
coming off the bench and looked comfortable on the ball and passing forward,
although Lynch will likely be on the lookout for a left-sided centre back should Holt’s rumoured departure be true. Sam Todd is more suited to the left fullback
position, and gave City an attacking outlet there. Gavin Whyte was replaced by
Adam O’Reilly at half-time and the Corkman’s energy in the centre of the park
gave City something different. He tried to run in-behind a few times but was
let down by the service into him.
Derry City missed a bit of that doggedness required to get
points down in Sligo. The type of fast football seen in the 7-2 win over
Waterford can’t be played there given Rovers’ defensive and pressing setup –
something which City found out the hard way. Saturday also showed that City are
missing a midfielder with a bit of magic in the centre of the park. Someone
like Patrick McEleney or Will Patching, who could pull off a
defensive-splitting pass or effort from distance to change a game just isn’t
present in City's current midfield arsenal. It’s yet to be seen if Adam Frizzell can be that man,
but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tiernan Lynch recruit a midfielder, winger
or defender before the window’s up.
All focus for the Candystripes must now turn to cup action,
as they seek revenge for last season’s final loss by going one step further
this year. It's a first visit to Limerick for the Candystripes since October 2018.
Treaty United:
Founded in 2020, Treaty United have played just nine FAI Cup
ties in their existence. When they host Derry City on Friday, the Candystripes
will be the first team whom they’ve faced twice in the Cup in the club’s
history.
Limerick’s League of Ireland representative, Treaty were
formed from the ashes of Limerick FC. Founded in 1937, Limerick FC was
dissolved in 2020 after racking up almost €500,000 in debt. With two league
titles, two FAI Cups and three League Cup crowns across their 83 year history,
the club of Ireland’s fourth largest city left a hole in the footballing
landscape when it was wound up.
Treaty United, originally called Limerick United before
being forced to change, were granted their first First Division licence in 2020
before entering in 2021. With just four full seasons under their belt, United
have made a good showing for themselves. The club’s most impressive achievement
was reaching the semi-finals of the FAI Cup in 2022, their previous meeting
against Derry City, where they lost 2-1. They finished in the Promotion playoff
spots in their first two seasons, before placing 6th and 7th
in 2023 and 2024.
Treaty United’s first FAI Cup appearance in 2021 offered one
of the toughest draws possible – the cup holders Dundalk. They took the
Lilywhites to extra-time, before current Derry City set-piece coach and
Ballymena United midfielder Patrick McEleney scored the winner. They built on
that in 2022, hammering Usher Celtic 5-0, before beating Maynooth University
Town 3-0 to reach the quarterfinal stage. In the last eight of the competition,
they impressively dispatched Premier Division opposition by defeating UCD 4-1.
Derry City welcomed Treaty to the Brandywell in the semis and, despite being
2-0 down after 16 minutes, the Limerick side netted a penalty before the half
hour mark to bring themselves back into the tie. It wasn’t to be that year, but
the fight shown by the team and noise of the Treaty fans certainly won the club
a few admirers in Derry.
A 2-0 loss to Cork City in the FAI Cup first round in 2023
ended any similar dreams that year, but with wins over Kilbarrack United and
Pike Rovers in 2024, Treaty made the quarter-finals again. It was a repeat of
their previous quarter-final performance, but not in the way they would’ve
hoped. Wexford United made short work of the Limerickmen, beating them 4-1.
Currently fourth in the First Division, the Treaty faithful
will hope for a strong second half to the campaign. With just ten points
separating fourth and eighth, and Dundalk and Cobh Ramblers battling it out for
the title, the next few months promise an entertaining finale to Ireland’s
second tier. Promotion to the Premier Division just half a decade after being
founded would make a great return for the Limerick side.
Tommy Barrett has been Treaty United’s only manager. He was
Limerick’s manager when they folded and immediately took the hotseat in the
phoenix club. Barrett’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation has his side firing,
scoring 36 goals and conceding 23 in 23 league games. Those 36 scored are the
same as league leaders Dundalk and the second most in the league, whilst the 21
conceded makes their defence the third tightest in the division. There’s one
man in particular who is United’s standout marksman, Lee Devitt.
The 25 year old former Cobh Ramblers man has netted 14 goals
from midfield, a remarkable stat which means he has scored more than any
Premier Division player and sits behind only Barry Coffey (15) in terms of
goals scored in the First Division. Former Finn Harps winger Karl O’Sullivan’s four
assists makes him another key asset going forward. Former UCD and Shelbourne
forward Yoyo Mahdy, once hot property in the League of Ireland, chipped in with
four goals and three assists this year too, but has recently left the club.
Treaty United have a young team who will be willing to run
their socks off and pounce on mistakes. The experienced heads in the dressing
room will therefore be tasked with leading their team through their biggest
game of the season. 33 year old Lee J Lynch was a league and cup winner with
Sligo Rovers in 2012 and 2013, as well as picking up a First Division winner’s
medal with Limerick in 2016 and NIFL Championship triumph under City gaffer
Tiernan Lynch at Larne in 2018-19. He’s certainly a man who’s been in these
situations before.
18 year old goalkeeper Michael Dike recently made the move
from Treaty to Brighton & Hove Albion, joining the Seagulls’ under-21s side
after impressing towards the backend of last year in the First Division. Other
youngsters impressing at United, who aspire to follow in the footsteps of their
former teammate, are 19 and 20 year old defenders Robbie Lynch and Richkov
Boevi. They’ve both seen regular gametime this year. 21 year old Canadian
forward Joe Hanson is a Vancouver Whitecaps academy graduate and joins the
Canadian contingent of Connor Wilson and Corey Chambers in Limerick. Trpimir
Vrljicak, Valeriy Doya and Vojtech Ptacek all have experienced playing
elsewhere in Europe. Before his departure, Yoyo Mahdy spent a year at one of
Africa’s oldest football clubs, Egyptian second-tier side Olympic Alexandria,
after leaving Finn Harps in 2022.
There is always that aspect of curiosity when facing a club
we’re not used to seeing in regular league action. Treaty United impressed the
Brandywell faithful with a large travelling support too. In just four years,
they’ve reached the quarterfinals twice and semi-finals of this competition, so
aren’t to be frowned upon.
Treaty United’s young team will be gunning for an upset,
especially at home, but they haven’t faced a Premier Division side
competitively since Cork City in the first round of the FAI Cup in 2023. Their
last, and only, win against a topflight side came against UCD in the quarters
three years ago. Despite being underdogs this time around, Treaty United will
hope to make trips to Derry a more regular occurrence with promotion to the
Premier Division in the future. Whilst they’d love a cup run, I’d say Treaty wouldn’t
be devastated if defeat on Friday meant turning full focus to their promotion
push.
Round-up:
After suffering defeat in Sligo last week, Tiernan Lynch’s
side will be desperate to start their FAI Cup journey with a win. City have
shown good form in the cup in the past few years, grinding out results and
blowing the likes of St. Pat’s, Shelbourne and Bohemians away last year. The
doggedness which was lacking in Sligo will certainly need to be present in
Limerick.
Treaty United are hopeful of finishing the season in the
promotion spots but, as has been seen in the past, will back themselves against
Premier Division opponents in the cup. With the talismanic Lee Devitt spurring
them on, they won’t back down for Derry City in the slightest. Treaty v Derry
is a tie we’ve seen just once previously, but shouldn’t disappoint given the
stakes on the line.
Pól O'Hare - 13th July 2025
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