Sporting Fingal have a full squad to choose from for Sunday's FAI Ford Cup final against Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, welcoming defender John Frost back following a hamstring stain.

 

The First Division club are presented with the possibility of claiming their first major trophy since entering the League of Ireland last season but must overcome a dogged Sligo Rovers side from the top-flight.

 

Rovers manager Paul Cook is without his captain Conor O'Grady due to suspension and the armband goes to Danny Ventre.

 

Tallaght Stadium, the pristine home of Shamrock Rovers which opened earlier this season, will stage the showpiece for the first time and a large turnout is expected.

 

In Fingal's case, the final comes just six days after they secured promotion into next year's Premier Division by defeating Bray Wanderers 4-2 on aggregate in a play-off.

 

 

Manager Liam Buckley is confident going into the game, particularly due to the full availability of his squad: "It's the first time for three months I've a full squad to pick from and that always gives a manager confidence.

 

 

"I know we're capable of being competitive in this final. Sligo Rovers will rightly be favourites given their experience and ability to match the best of them in the top-flight. Paul Cook is a manager I respect and he'll have his players motivated to give their loyal fans something to cheer about in Tallaght Stadium.

 

 

"For us, it's going to be a fantastic occasion. The journey of the club has brought us to places we could only have dreamed of when we entered the league last season, so we won't stop believing.

 

 

"There's a great determination amongst these players as they've shown by emerging from three play-off matches in the space of six days. They want to complete the campaign on a high by doing the fans and the rest of the First Division teams proud on this historic day."

 

Cook is also in buoyant mood and reckons Sligo are well capable of landing the prize on offer.

 

He said: "If we perform, I'm confident we can win the game. If we go there and don't perform, we're playing a very good Fingal team with good players, we'll have our hands full."

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