The duel of the Dubliners will take place at Rugby Park this weekend and Dundee United believe their Irishman can win the personal battle.
Tannadice defender Sean Dillon, operating in the centre instead of his usual right-back position, will be handed one of the hardest jobs in the SPL when he is asked to mark Kilmarnock striker Conor Sammon, who hails from the same city as him.
Sammon has just handed the Ayrshire club a massive boost by turning down a £600,000 move to Scunthorpe United, choosing instead to stay in Scotland.
He is one of the success stories of the season so far but United boss Peter Houston feels that fellow Dublin-born player Dillon is the ideal man to mark him.
“Sean has been magnificent for us,” said Houston. “His attitude is fantastic and he is a joy to work with.
“He has really taken to being a centre-half, he is reading the game well and is at the top of his form.
“It would be very difficult for anyone to displace him from the team.
“His positioning is great, he is using the ball well and he is getting on with the job brilliantly.
“He was brought here as a right-back primarily but we knew that he had played at centre-half in Ireland and that was always an option.
“Since getting a run of games, he has improved almost week on week.
“So, Sean has been a great signing for the club. He has played in loads of positions, has never complained and gives it everything.
“He is a winner and I can’t praise him highly enough.
“It will be another test for him on Saturday because he will be up against Conor Sammon, who is having a fantastic season and is one of the most improved players in the SPL this season.
“He has scored a lot of goals for Killie and when anyone does that for a provincial teamlike David Goodwillie has done for usthen it’s a great achievement.
“Jim Jefferies (the previous Killie boss) brought him over from Ireland because he saw something in him.
“It has taken him time to settle in and this is him really flourishing now so it should be an interesting one.”
Rugby Park boss Miksu Paatelainen was delighted to see Sammon reject the move to Scunthorpe but believes the player may have bigger and better offers in the future.
“I was surprised,” admitted Paatelainen.
“Scunthorpe are a Championship side and the lure to go and play in that league is obviously big for any player in Scotland.Top-class keeper”But big Conor is a level-headed guy, he doesn’t get fazed by anything very quickly.
“He did say to me that he is 100% happy here and feels he is improving.
“He wants to develop further and, you never know, in the future there might be an even bigger club who come calling.
“But he is fresh, focused and ready to play against Dundee United if selected so everything is back to normal.”
Killie have taken only one point from six against their opponents this season and Paatelainen is expecting another tough game.
“United are a very good team who have gelled together over time,” said the former Tannadice striker.
“They might have some injuries at the back but they have a very strong midfield, offensively and defensively, and they have good strikers so Saturday will be really difficult for us.”
Houston felt the last joust between the teamsa 1-1 draw on November 13was a real thriller and would love to see a similar level of entertainment this weekend.
“One of the best games I have seen this season was that draw with Killie here at Tannadice,” added the United boss.
“It was an open game and both teams created loads of chances.
“I am expecting this one to be much the same.”
The Tangerines will be without left-back Paul Dixon, who was injured during the Scottish Cup win at Ross County in midweek, while there are also doubts over Dusan Pernis, Garry Kenneth and Johnny Russell.
“Dusan might make it but he has not trained properly,” said Houston.
“Given the way he has played this season you would want him in the team, but we have Stevie Banks ready to come in if he doesn’t make it.
“It is great to have someone of Stevie’s experience here.
“He is here as goalkeeping coach but he showed the other night against Ross County that he is still a top-class keeper.
“And if we have to play him against Killie I would have no worries about that at all.”
The good news is that winger Craig Conway is likely to start after playing two-thirds of the County cup-tie.