Kelly hopes to fulfil dreams of a successful homecoming

FAI Cup Final Countdown:Having spent time at Arsenal where he lived for a while with Armand Traore and trained each day with a string of young players now making a real impression at the very highest level, SeáKelly is scarcely overawed by the prospect of his first FAI Cup final.

Still, as the 20-year-old defender, who grew up supporting Manchester United, reflects on a first season back at home he is clearly excited by the possibility of taking a winner's medal away from the RDS on Sunday. It would, he reckons, put something of a shine on a disappointing season for Cork City and go a long way towards justifying his thinking on leaving London: that sometimes in life, you have to take one step back in order to take two forward.

Kelly had the option of staying another year with Arsenal. Life at the club was good and training was exciting but others, he felt, had made a little more progress and so, feeling he was never quite going to make the breakthrough he craved, he decided it would be better to start afresh elsewhere.

A loan move to Yeovil collapsed at the last moment, leaving Kelly, from Tralee, with a choice between heading to America on a scholarship or signing for City where there was the prospect of first-team football. Close to a year on, he admits, there have been lows as well as highs, but there is never a hint of regret and he believes his career is moving firmly in the right direction again.

"Arsenal was a great stepping stone for me," he says, "a great learning experience because, to me, they're the best football team in the world . . . well, apart from Man U, obviously.

"What I did there stands to me here," he continues. "This is a tough league and they play a lot in the air. But here at Cork we play a lot of ball on the ground and that's why, when I first came here on trial for a week, I thought: 'yeah, I definitely want to sign here'.

"I was a bit upset about leaving England but the minute I came here I liked what I saw. The lads were bang-on and in training all they do is play ball. It's brilliant. So I think I made the right decision."

Kelly harbours hopes of a return to England but he realises it was always going to take time to establish himself here, to achieve success in the Irish game and then ensure he is ready to seize the next big opportunity to come his way.

"I know Cork City are a very successful club but when you first come here you just want to get yourself settled, you don't really think about winning things. I'm only 20 and now we're after getting to a final. Our league season wasn't that great but the final now hopefully will make it a good season for us, and we can still qualify for Europe.

"In the league this year we just weren't consistent enough and we conceded too many goals. As a team we used to go out and batter teams but we just couldn't put the ball in the net and then we'd concede a stupid goal, like we did at home towards the end of the season against 'Pat's.

"That's something we have to look at for next season but first we have to get it right for the final. We have to play well, do what we did against Bohemians in the semi-final and hopefully we'll come away with the cup.

"As for me, I'd like to get back across in the future. It's every fellow's dream to play to his highest potential, in the Championship or the Premiership. But I don't know yet. I'm still young and I'm happy here in Cork. A cup final medal would be lovely. Not many 20-year-olds have one. And I'm learning the whole time.

"Damien (Richardson) keeps advising me. My aim is to stay at Cork as long as I can and until I'm ready to go back over because I know now what it's like to come home and I just want to be ready if I do go back over."

Kelly was one of four Cork players to agree new contracts eith the club yesterday. He and Colm Carroll signed two-year deals while Darragh Ryan and Admir Softic each signed for another year.