They host a giant of the junior game in St Michael’s on Saturday in Drom.
The timing is awkward for both sides as they only start their pre-season.
But with the array of talent in Devon’s squad, this is very much the level they should be operating at. They will fancy their chances despite the difficulty of the tie. They reigned supreme in Galway last season, after a fascinating tussle in the league with Mervue United.
They proved their merits on a national level too, only bowing out of the FAI Junior Cup at the semi-final stage, losing to North End United. It was the second time in three years that they had made it that far.
Their squad is littered with League of Ireland level quality. Timmy Molloy is a special talent. Marc Ludden will marshal the team from the back. Alex Byrne and Joe Collins are very capable performers in midfield. Enda Curran still oozes class up front.
They will undoubtedly miss some other star performers like Conor Barry and Colin Kelly. They will still feel that they have enough to take on the side from Tipp town, who are three-time FAI Junior Cup Champions.
It will certainly be felt in and around Drom that they will host the tie of the round in Galway this week. It is an appealing prospect for fans and neutrals alike to see players of this calibre playing in a big tie on a Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2pm ).
