Belvedere FC will be looking to put their hands on the FAI U17 Cup for a ninth time when they travel to Turners Cross to face Midleton FC in the final of this year's competition tomorrow. 

It promises to be a great occasion as the two stand-out teams in the competition reach the final stage at Turners Cross with Midleton looking to put their hands on the trophy for the first time. 

Both sides have enjoyed comprehensive victories on route to the final so it is impossible to call a winner in what should be a great final with Cork side Midleton set to be backed by a strong home crowd at Turners Cross. 

Match Details

Competition: FAI U17 Cup Final 
Fixture: Midleton FC v Belvedere FC
Location: Turners Cross, Cork
Date: Saturday, April 5th
Kick-off: 2pm
Tickets: Available on the gate
Live Coverage: Follow the action on FAI Connect

Match Officials

Referee: Shane O'Donoghue 
Assistant Referee 1: Oisin Walsh 
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan McAuliffe
Fourth Official: Patrick Roche

Midleton FC - Route to the Final

Preliminary Round: Wilton United 0-7 Midleton FC
Round 1: Midleton FC 11-0 Springfield Ramblers
Round 2: Midleton FC 2-1 Lakewood Athletic
Round 3: Midleton FC 5-0 Castleisland AFC
Round 4: Midleton FC 3-0 Moyne Villa FC
Quarter Final: Midleton FC 4-2 Douglas Hall AFC
Semi Final: Midleton FC 3-1 Carrigaline United AFC

Belvedere FC - Route to the Final 

Preliminary Round: Kilnamanagh AFC 1-7 Belvedere FC
Round 1: Lourdes Celtic 0-4 Belvedere FC
Round 2: Ballyoulster United AFC 2-4 Belvedere FC
Round 3: Shelbourne AFC 1-11 Belvedere FC
Round 4: Killegland AFC 0-2 Belvedere FC
Quarter Final: Belvedere FC 8-2 Carndonagh FC
Semi Final: Belvedere FC 4-1 Tramore AFC

Manager Interviews

Midleton FC Head Coach Colm Fitzgerald said: "We've got a great bunch of lads and they've really come together this season. We've reached the semi-finals of the SFAI Cup and they're just playing some really good football, you look at the run to the final and we've beat some really good teams to get here. It probably looks like a bit of a cruise on paper but it wasn't. In the matches against Carrigaline and Douglas Hall, the players had to show a lot of resilience to get the result and it was great to see them come out the other side of that. 

"Playing the final at Turners Cross certainly gives something extra. The players played at the Cross at U15 level but this is an FAI Cup final and it just makes it all the more special for the group. We'll obviously be expecting a big crowd from Midleton and I'm sure Belvedere will bring down a big crowd as well so it should be a great occasion. 

"I spotted the Belvedere coaches down for our game against Passage, not sure they would have learned much as we rested seven players and won 5-1 but they've come down a few times in recent weeks to do their homework. It's all on the day though, even though Midleton's first national cup win was against Belvedere so it shows there is history on our side there. 

"We got Dan Murray to come in earlier in the week to do a session with the lads and talk to them which was great. Outside of that, we've trained as normal, we'll have a recovery session tonight and head for breakfast tomorrow morning at 10.30am. It's all about keeping it normal on the day and the lads know what to do." 

Belvedere Head Coach Darren Berrigan said: "We can't wait. We got to the semi-final last year, lost 3-2 in the last minute and I think the players have used that hurt from that to go on this year. We're top of the league and we've just reached the League Cup final as well so the players have been brilliant. 

"We're down to the barebones really. Four of our players left at Christmas time to go the national league, two went to Bohemians, one to Shamrock Rovers and one to Bray Wanderers so we've had to promote from the younger teams and it shows the strength in depth that we've got quality players ready to step up and you wouldn't notice the difference. It's great for the club of course, national league is a step up and a natural progression so it shows the good work being done at the club. 

"We went down and watched Midleton. They're a good side, big and physical, and it's a big club who beat one of our teams in one of the other competitions in recent years so we'll have a lot of respect for them and they'll have the home crowd behind them. However, we will be confident of getting the result, a lot of faith in this group of players and it will be a great experience for them. My message to them going out will be that hopefully, if they continue their progression and hard work, that they'll be playing on pitches like Turners Cross every week in the future."

Midleton FC Squad

Goalkeepers: Colm Noonan, Charlie McCarthy
Defenders: Liam Lynch, Dara Birdthistle, Max Murphy, Cillian Scanlon, Luke McDonnell, Jack Byrne, Jack Mills, Ronan McKessey. 
Midfielders: Ben Fitzgerald, Alex McSweeney, James O'Meara, Zak Butler, Sean Og Madden, Owen Noonan, Sean Dempsey, Gabriel Ebo.
Forwards: Rian Thornhill, Alex Horgan. 
Staff: Colm Fitzgerald (Head Coach), David Lynch (Coach), Keith Birdthistle (Coach).

Belvedere FC Squad

Goalkeepers: Sean Bourke, Daniel Lukosevicius
Defenders: Evan Fullam, Rudy Flood, Jamie Brennan, Senan Finn, Richard Donnelly.
Midfielders: James Ryan, Jack Ryan, Blake Robinson Hogan, Logan Moloney, Bobby Doyle, Lewis Bruton, Charlie Gordon, Liam Norris, Harry McCabe.
Forwards: Jack Higgins, Harry Giffney.
Staff: Graham Ryan (Manager), Darren Berigan (Coach), Brian Kenny (Coach), Keith Doyle (Physio).