FA Cup weekends never fail to generate a full set of cliches, nostalgia and hope for the underdog.
However, despite the cynicism that has crept into the business end of the competition in recent seasons, the 2022/23 quarter-final picture is refreshing.
The structure of the draw means at least one non-Premier League side will be in the semi-finals for the first time since 2015, with plenty of Irish interest in the last-eight battle.
John Egan’s Sheffield United face Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers, who have Sammie Szmodics in their ranks; Burnley’s Josh Cullen and Michael Obafemi will be looking for an upset as Vincent Kompany heads back to Manchester City; and Evan Ferguson will look to help Brighton get past League Two giant killers Grimsby Town before heading for Republic of Ireland camp.
The chance for a shock remains high across the board, with City old boy Kompany on the verge of Premier League promotion, and Grimsby already dumping out Brighton’s neighbours Southampton in the previous round.
The eye is naturally drawn to Paul Hurst's Grimsby as being the outsiders with a genuine chance to make history.
The Mariners are aiming to keep their FA Cup fairytale going and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1939, thus becoming the only fourth-tier side to reach the last four.
Pressure has not weighed heavy on Hurst’s players on their FA Cup march, with both the players and the fanatical Grimsby fanbase developing a thick skin on the back of years of yo-yoing in and out of the EFL and fighting against financial issues.
Promotion back into League Two breathed life into the club at a vital time, and prevented a malaise from developing, with their progression in the FA Cup showing a desire to flip the script against teams higher up the football league ladder.
Wild waving of inflatable fish in a sea of delirious screaming faces were the takeaway scenes from their win at Southampton, but it was a calm head who won the day for Grimsby, as Kilkenny native Gavan Holohan stopped the Saints.
"I was immediately aware of the magnitude of the penalty."
On a raucous night at the St Mary’s Stadium, the former Cork City man kept his nerve to slot home two penalties and send the travelling Mariners back on the long journey home with a spot in the last eight for the first time in over 80 years.
"It was some surprise to get one, and then two, against Southampton," Holohan tells RTÉ Sport.
"I was confident, backed myself, and once you stick away the first one, it gives you confidence for the second one. I was so happy to see them fly in.
"I was immediately aware of the magnitude of the penalty. If I scored, I’d make it 2-0, and we’d be in the driving seat."
Changing the narrative around off-field issues is a crucial motivation for Grimsby following their takeover in 2021, with chairman Jason Stockwood claiming the win allowed fans to walk "a few inches taller" the day after.
Holohan agrees. "The club has been through tough times, there’s no doubt about that. But, from when I arrived around this time last year, the aim was always to get back into the Football League. That’s where the club deserves to be.
"We have big ambitions and I’m glad to be a part of that."
The subject of pressure penalties is rarely a straightforward one in knockout cup football, but despite the glare being focused firmly on him twice in quick succession in the previous round, Holohan was confident that the stars were lining up for Grimsby.
"We’ve never really had a designated penalty taker. It just happened that one of the boys missed a penalty the Saturday before [against Leyton Orient]. From that, I just said, 'the next time we get a penalty, I’m taking it'.
"I knew straight away I had to focus on the job at hand, get my technique right and luckily all those things aligned, and it went in."
That night in Southampton will live long in memory for Grimsby fans, with the 480-mile round trip made all the smoother by Holohan’s coolness from the spot, and he expects the same fierce support on Sunday.
"It would be so special, the chance to make history, and it’s crazy to think we’d be the first team from this level to do it, but as the cliché goes - it’s the magic of the FA Cup, so we’ll be thinking about that on the way down.
"We’ll approach it with the same mindset as Southampton. It’s easy to go into that game, and now Brighton, thinking we’re happy to make up the numbers, but that’s not how we work. We're there to cause an upset, and we did.
"Hopefully we have a bit of luck too. We’ll need it, maybe a few VAR decisions going our way, but we can cause another upset, no doubt."
Holohan’s heroics against Southampton were not against Ireland No 1 Gavin Bazunu, with deputy stopper Alex McCarthy on the receiving end, but the 31-year-old will face rising another Irish star this weekend, as Ferguson prepares to lead the Brighton attack.
"He’s been outstanding for Brighton this season," Holohan says. "He a young lad, but he’s a big presence, and that’s something we haven’t had with the Irish team for some time.
"He’s already doing it in the Premier League, week in week out. We have plenty of good young Irish players coming through now, and with Evan, the future looks very bright.
"I’ve no doubt he’ll have a great career, with his club and Ireland, and it’ll be nice to go toe-to-toe this weekend."
The chance of a Wembley semi-final is all the motivation Grimsby need this weekend, with inflatable Harry the Haddocks selling by the thousand in the town this week.
Holohan is more than ready to step up from the spot once again.
"Absolutely I’ll be taking it, 100%! I’ll be grabbing that ball and hopefully the same result as it was against Southampton."
