For the second year in a row, Argyle find themselves playing at Home Park with a chance of reaching the FA Women’s National League Cup final.
Burnley are the visitors – a side who are unbeaten in Northern Premier Division action through 13 games, picking up 35 points from a possible 39, whilst currently holding the top spot.
Argyle, for their part, have suffered just one defeat at home all season, to Watford. With recent confident victories over Billericay Town and Lewes, there is belief amongst the squad and staff to secure a spot in the final two.
‘A fantastic spectacle of women’s football’ is what Head Coach Marie Hourihan is predicting on Sunday afternoon, and is confident her side can battle well against a full-time, professional Clarets outfit.
“You want to be playing in these games,” Hourihane told Argyle TV. “I think the players are really looking forward to it.
“We're under no illusions, and know we’re coming up against a fully professional team. It's a cup semi-final, though. We're at Home Park and have transitioned quite a lot this season, in terms of the team that we are now.
“Everybody is really looking forward to this game. A lot of hard work has been done, and we've played a lot of good teams to get to this point. It'll be an exciting game, one that obviously both teams will be desperate to win, but from our perspective, we’ll be ready and prepared for this game.
“In your career, you don't get many opportunities to get to finals. The club did get to the semi-final last year, so this isn't a new experience to some of the players that were here last year, but also to some of the players that I brought in from Stoke last season.
“There is an experience amongst the squad, which is important, but as I said, these events and games are really hard to get to. Oxford, Watford, Lewes - we've come through some really high-calibre teams to get to this point, and now, you’re effectively 90 or 120 minutes away from a final.
“The enormity of the game is apparent for everybody to see, but I think the important thing for us is the confidence within the group, especially at Home Park, where the players enjoy playing.
“This will be a fantastic spectacle for women's football. Burnley are a good team. They're a fully professional team, so they have that advantage over us.
“I've got experience playing against that team. The team I played against last season was a very good footballing side and an attack-minded team. I think there's been a lot of changes this season, so it is a different team, but the players will be embracing that challenge and really looking forward to it.
“These occasions don't come around very often. I think the fans have been fantastic. They've seen the energy and determination that the players bring, and they've really embraced it.
“They've really galvanised the players at times, so from our perspective, we are desperate for as many fans to come along on Sunday because it makes a difference.
“The Green Army enjoy the games at Home Park as well, we know that, so we encourage as many people as possible to come down at the weekend and get behind the squad.”
