Treaty United hope for plum home draw in FAI Cup quarter-finals

TREATY United are hoping for a plum home draw in the quarter-finals of the Sports Direct FAI Cup after recording  comprehensive 7-0 victory over local junior rivals Pike Rovers on Friday night at the Markets Field.

A hat-trick from Lee Devitt, as well as two goals from Trpimir Vrljcak and one from Enda Curran, who was netting his 100th goal in League of Ireland football, as well as Robbie Lynch, saw Tommy Barrett's SSE Airtricity League First Division side comfortably through to the quarter-finals of this season's FAI Cup

Afterwards Treaty manager Barrett was happy with side's performance.

“A clean sheet and lots of good, goals, so I was delighted with the performance from start to finish. There was a bit in between where we were sloppy at times and over-carried it. Overall you've got to be happy with it.”

Last season Treaty United were knocked out of the FAI Cup in the first round by Cork City, but this is the second time in three years that the Limerick-based club has reached the quarter-finals.

“It's great for the club. Two out of the last three years we've been in the quarter-finals. Hopefully we can get over the quarter-final and get onto a semi-final and you'll never know what will happen,” Barrett said.

The recent form from Treaty has been impressive and Barrett's charges have put themselves in the mix for the promotion places in the League of Ireland First Division.

“We are taking our chances. We have a good defensive record in the league, but we've started scoring a few goals but we've still got to keep those clean sheets and just probably finish teams off when we can,” said Barrett.

It was a difficult night for Pike Rovers. Manager Robbie Williams was still proud of his players and what they achieved this year in the FAI Cup.

“It was always going to be a tough night. We're a month into our pre-season and the Treaty boys are near the end of the season. The fitness levels were always going to take it's toll and conceding so early as well, two sloppy goals, put us on the back foot straight away,” Pike manager Williams said.

“Our bread and butter next week is against Nenagh in the league. Coming up against Treaty is just a privilege to play in these stadiums for my boys. We have a lot of new faces and a lot of lads missing. They're League of Ireland and they're a big step up above junior football. I'm proud of the boys, they stuck at it.”

Treaty United host Wexford in the First Division on Friday at the Markets Field, 7.45pm kick-off.

Barrett's side are currently six points off the promotion play-off places in the league.