Keith Treacy is tipping Galway United to stage an upset against Bohemians in the first of this weekend's Sports Direct FAI Cup semi-finals.
Bohs will travel away to the newly crowned SSE Airtricity First Division champions, wary of what John Caulfield's side will have in store for them at Eamonn Deacy Park where Dundalk were thrashed 4-0 in the quarter-finals.
The following afternoon, Cork City host St Patrick's Athletic just days after the sides met at Turner's Cross in what was a 1-0 win for the Saints.
Both semi-finals will be live on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player, and former Republic of Ireland international Treacy is anticipating intriguing contests especially in Galway who he is tipping to join St Pat's in the 12 November decider at the Aviva Stadium.
"I would be going for Galway and Pat's," the ex-Saints and Drogheda United midfielder told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"When you look at Galway's home form - 16 games, won 16 and only conceded four goals all season - I just think it's an absolute fortress down there.
"John Caulfield will have them revved up and ready to go and I just think they will be ready to run through brick walls.
"Over the weekend, I think we're going to see an upset and I think we're a lot more likely to see Galway beating Bohs than Cork beating Pat's, so I'll go Galway and Pat's in the final."
Acknowleding that he has been impressed by 2021 finalists Bohs in the Premier Division this season and that they will be favourites in spite of his prediction, Treacy added that the strength of both teams on the flanks means whoever wins the battle of the wings will come out on top in the tie.
"I'd imagine that will be won and lost on the wings, and who defends those balls into the box better," he said.
"Because Galway don't complicate the game too much. If they get it in a decent area, they will whip the ball in with some decent quality.
"They'll have some lads going to attack it and they will ring the edge of the box. So much about the modern day press is about pressing and controlling the width of your 18-yard box.
"If Bohs come out and just get really compact on the width of the 18-yard box, Galway will play around that press, put it into the box and make it really difficult for Bohs to get round to stop that.
"I think it will be a really good game. Bohs have been good, for me, this season. They came to Inchicore early on in the season and I was really, really impressed with the way they played, especially the front lads.
"I was really impressed by Ali Coote but the one word for me with Bohs would be inconsistency as I would be with everybody including Shamrock Rovers to a certain degree.
"Consistency hasn't been there. But with Shamrock Rovers, when they play badly, they still draw the game or win the game. When Bohs play badly, they lose or when Pat's play badly they lose a game."
Watch the Sports Direct FAI Cup semi-finals, Galway United v Bohemians (Saturday 2.30pm) and Cork City v St Patrick's Athletic (Sunday 2.30pm) on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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