St Pat's Athletic ready to embrace Turner's Cross cauldron against Cork City in FAI Cup semi-final

St Patrick's Athletic are braced for a Turner's Cross cauldron this afternoon when they square up to Cork City in the Sports Direct FAI Cup semi-final [live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player from 2.30pm].

The Saints have beaten Cork in the two games they've colllided this season, but all bets are off in an intrguing last-four clash.

With a place in the Aviva Stadium decider up for grabs, the Leesiders are desperate to atone for a poor league campaign with some cup glory. And they'll be roared on by a large, fired-up home crowd.

"You speak to any team in the league and they know it's a very tough place to go," St Pat's skipper Joe Redmond told RTÉ Sport's Adrian Eames.

"It's going to be a sold-out Turner's Cross but we're really looking forward to the challenge ahead.

"You have to prepare for it as you would any other game but know there's that extra bit of reward at the end of it to get to a cup final and get a bit of silveware.

"For the fans, the joy that it brings coming here and winning, that's the aim. It's a great occasion. As players, you want to get here and you want to win."

Pat's dug out a 1-0 win in Cork a week ago, but Redmond is taking nothing for granted ahead of their return.

"I don't think you need much motivation going down there. We're going to bring a load of fans and they're going to show up in their numbers as well. I'm sure both teams are ging to go out and leae it all out there.

"There's a lot to play for for everyone, but winning that cup would be fantastic."

In the home corner, Cork City captain Cian Coleman is hoping to channel the energy of the local support to get the back to the Aviva Stadium.

Coleman was at the Lansdowne Road venue as a fan in 2016 when Sean Maguire's dramatic extra-time goal sank Dundalk. They