The Sports Direct FAI Cup final has much promise.
Ticket sales had passed 40,000 by Friday, surpassing the 37,126 who watched St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians battle it out two years ago.
That's the modern record, but whether it can beat the 41,238 who paid in to see Shamrock Rovers beat Bohs back in 1945 remains to be seen. All in all though, it's a reflection of the ever increasing popularity of domestic soccer and it certainly strengthens the case for investment in grounds around the league.
While a Cup final is an occasion, which naturally might draw in the punter who isn't out every Friday night, the likely attendance puts the current capacities of some of the League of Ireland grounds - particularly those that regularly sell out - into sharp focus.
A discussion for another day!
To matters on the pitch and, as it was two years ago, Pat's will arrive at the Aviva with European soccer secured for next season already, having amassed 62 league points from their 36 games. This season it was only good enough for third place, but that's academic at this stage.
Bohemians, similarly to 2021, need a victory on today to make sure they will have a European campaign to look forward to for the first time since the summer of 2021 when they were able to sell out their Covid-capacity limited games on Lansdowne Road. They only fell to PAOK, who would go on to reach the quarter-finals that season, 3-2 on aggregate, but will they have a similar adventure to look forward to next summer?
Bohemians v Patrick's Athletic 2023
10/03: St Patrick's Athletic 0-2 Bohemians
14/04: Bohemians 2-3 St Patrick's Athletic
11/08: St Patrick's Athletic 0-0 Bohemians
20/10: Bohemians 0-2 St Patrick's Athletic
They'll have to do it without captain Keith Buckley, who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after injuring his ACL against the Super Saints in the league last month. Kacper Radkowski will miss the game having been harshly red-carded in the semi-final victory over Galway.
Bohs made such a positive start to the season and were top of the pile as late as May when back-to-back defeats to Shamrock Rovers and Derry City saw them slide down the table.
Manager Declan Devine summed it up when he spoke to RTÉ Sport this week.
"With a few games to go in our league campaign we were targeting second place, so we were really disappointed to finish outside the top four," he said.
"But it is the nature of the league this year, it has been tight from start to finish. This is another opportunity; we have worked hard to get here and we certainly don't want to let it pass us by, because this club needs to be in Europe
"And it is also an opportunity to add silverware, which hasn't been done in 15 years so it’s a big game for everyone."
While maintaining a title challenge against some of the clubs with bigger budgets might have been a big ask, the fact that they ended up sixth was an undoubted blow, with Buckley admitting this week that they "blew it."
A victory today can completely change the narrative around the club heading into next season though, while defeat, like it did two years ago, could have major implications.
If Bohs are to end their barren trophy period, stretching back to their league triumph in 2009, Jonathan Afolabi will surely play a crucial role having hit 19 goals so far season this, and been talked about as a potential Ireland international.
Bohemians route to the final:
1st round: Bohemians 1-0 Shelbourne
2nd round: Bohemians 6-0 Rockmount
Quarter-final: Drogheda 1-3 Bohemians
Semi-final: Galway 0-1 Bohemians
St Patrick's Athletic ended the league season in third place.
With six games to go they looked as if they were going to push Rovers all the way but a surprise defeat to Drogheda United at home - thanks in part to a Dayle Rooney worldie - brought their title ambitions crashing back down to earth.
Back-to-back losses, when the league was beyond them and their place in the Cup final was secure, saw them slip behind Derry to finish third.
A victory for them today would push the final League of Ireland European spot to Shelbourne, who finished in fourth place, so there are bound to be a few interested neutrals heading over from Richmond Road.
When they beat Bohs in the Cup two years ago Chris Forrester scored a wonder goal after a mazy solo run. While the game still went to penalties, the talismanic midfielder had shown what he was capable of once more.
"I was just trying to catch my breath 100 odd minutes into the game and I had a couple of options for passes, but my brain wasn't fast enough or getting enough oxygen to find that pass," he told RTÉ Sport this week.
"So I carried the ball through, got a clean strike on it and, like you said, it was one of the best goals in FAI Cup history, in the final."
Two years on and Forrester is still the heartbeat of the team. He's already scored 15 goals this season, more than anyone else at the club, and he can dictate where the Cup might end up tonight after a campaign that has brought them to the midlands, the north west, and the south west.
Mark Doyle (8) and Tommy Lonergan (5) have also had periods of looking sharp this season and they'll be looking to help out their skipper in Dublin 4.
On trying to topple their Dublin rivals in the final, manager Jon Daly said: "We have been defensively solid up to the last couple of weeks where we changed things around a bit, so if we can manage their attacking threat, I think we give ourselves the best opportunity to win the game."
And, after the disappointment of the way their title challenge petered out, the players will be want to finish the season on a high and secure a third victory over Bohs this season.
St Patrick's Athletic route to the final:
1st round: Longford 1-2 St Patrick's Athletic
2nd round: Derry City 0-0(p) St Patrick's Athletic
Quarter-final: Finn Harps 1-2 St Patrick's Athletic
Semi-final: Cork City 0-2 St Patrick's Athletic
Expert view
Paul Corry, speaking on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast, tipped Bohemians to get the job done in Dublin 4 this afternoon.
"There has to be major question marks about Bohs in the second half of the season this year that they just haven't manged to win enough games of football," he said.
"You would think that if they are to get a result against Pat's they're going to have to show a bit more than they have in those games.
"A lot of their play centres around Jonathan Afolabi. Being a target man, not only brining a physical presence to his game, but he's also able to bring the wider players into the game - the likes of Danny Grant or Dylan Connolly.
"On a big pitch like the Aviva that should suit them, and I think they should have enough."
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Watch the FAI Cup final, Bohemians v St Patrick's Athletic, on Sunday from 2pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live radio commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
