Drogheda United were not expected to win yesterday’s Sports Direct FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium but nobody would have guessed that from their assured performance where they dominated in every area of the pitch.
A crowd of 38,723 lit up the stadium, literally to the extent that the traditional flares that mark the occasion caused the referee to halt play on occasions and the first half did not finish until an hour after the scheduled start time, but, and whisper this, it is part of the thrill of this showpiece game.
Darragh Markey was back for the bBoynesiders, and both he and Shane Farrell dominated in a game in which Derry failed to fire again. This brought their season to a quieter end than they could have imagined only a few weeks ago.
A goal in either half was enough to seal the win, Drogheda’s second in the competition and first since 2005. It also guarantees European Football next season.
The celebrations last night among the fans at least will have been loud and raucous, while the players will wake up this morning knowing there is one more game to gio, a crucial relegation play-off against Bray Wanderers at Tallaght Stadium next Saturday.
Survival in the top flight is a critical next step in the ambitious plans for the future that the club have under new owners the Trivela Group.
We heard at our football breakfast last Thursday from Matt Jordan and Wesley Hill what those plans look like, with a new stadium at the planning stage and continued development of both the team and their place in the community central to them.
Kevin Doherty, Drogheda’s manager wrote in yesterday’s match programme that “My love for football came from my Dad Liam and my Mum Nuala.My Mam is still the last person I speak to on the way to matches every week and my Dad was a football man who was involved in the Amateur League and Leinster FA.Both of them would go to every single match I was involved in from the time I could kick a ball and in Man’s case to the present day. We lost my Dad four years ago and my only wish is that he was here with us today.”
There was more about family too at half time when Conor Hoey and Róisín Phillips and their Dad Vincent were inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame for their services way beyond the call of duty to the club through the good times and most importantly the darker days.
It was a special day for them, the club, the supporters and the League of Ireland.
Now one more game…
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