AT FULL strength and at their best, Declan Devine always felt Derry City would be a match for the best the rest had to offer.
With all his key players now back fit, and having finished the season in fine form, being slight underdogs sits easy with Devine as he expects his side to go and prove it at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
It’s St Patrick’s Athletic who undoubtedly carry the burden of expectation into the final. They’ll want tangible reward for a promising season as they once again try to emulate a certain side of 1961 and finally lift the cup again after six failed attempts in the interim.
It was always going to be a transitional year for Derry following the departure last year of manager Stephen Kenny, along with main players James McClean, Eamon Zayed, Gareth McGlynn and Danny Lafferty, who contributed 54 goals between them last season.
“Unfortunately, a lot of players in the spine of the team were injured,” said Devine in explaining a stop-start league campaign attributed to the fact the side missed the influence of the likes of Stewart Greacen, Kevin Deery, Barry Molloy, Ruaidhri Higgins, Stephen McLaughlin and Rory Patterson for various spells.
It made for a trying first season in sole charge for the 39-year-old Devine, whose management was called into question at times by supporters, most notably when booed off at the Brandywell at half-time in the semi-final when trailing Shelbourne 1-0.
“I think it’s a case of respecting St Pat’s and what they have done this year,” said Devine. “I respect Liam for the way he builds his teams and the way they pass the ball.
“I also respect the formation he plays, but the reality is that we will do our homework and we will try to nullify their threat. We also have to make sure we play as well, and when we do that and pass the ball, we’re not bad. I’m pretty sure Liam will be slightly concerned about the fact that if they give us too much time, then we might cause them problems.”
With a full squad of 21 fit players to choose from, Devine’s chief call would appear to be in attack, and whether Patterson is match fit enough to start ahead of 20-year-old Barry McNamee, who impressed late in the season.
St Patrick’s goalkeeper Barry Murphy has been passed fit following an ankle injury, but a similar injury to midfielder Greg Bolger means he is a doubt, leaving Buckley, who plays down his team being favourites, with a decision to make.
“Were you up there at the game last week in Derry?” said Buckley when pushed on the point, in reference to Derry winning the last league meeting between the sides, 2-1.
“We beat them twice and they’ve beaten us once. They’re a particularly strong team.
“And now that their injured players are all back their starting 11 is as good as there is in the league. So for me there is no favourite.
“It’s going to be a tight game, I feel. I think we both will want to try and play so it will be interesting from that end of it. But it will be a tough game.
“We don’t see ourselves as favourites. We just see ourselves in a final. And we’ll have to work hard to get a result.”
Keeping the weight of history off his players is also something Buckley is keen to play down. “To be honest with you, we don’t talk about 50 years ever in the dressing room,” said Buckley.
“These guys are just concerned with trying to win a cup. It’s 50-50. If they just turn up on the day and give themselves a chance of playing well. We have our bits and pieces that we’ve worked on all season – that needs to come to fruition in the final. But we’re not reflecting back on the 50 years, I have to say.”
DERRY CITY (probable): Doherty; Madden, Greacen, S McEleney, McCaffrey; P McEleney, Molloy, Deery, McLaughlin; McDaid, Patterson.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC (probable): Murphy; O’Brien, Kenna, Browne, Bermingham; Bolger/Russell, Chambers, Carroll; Forrester, Fagan, O’Connor.
