Cup Final Day - The View from both Camps

Favorites Sligo Rovers have won the FAI Cup on four occasions and have reached the decider four times in the last five years, including cup glory at the Aviva in 2010 and 2011. Drogheda were runners-up in 1971 and again in 1976 before winning for the first time ever, at the third attempt in 2005. The Drogs have proven to be a formidable cup team this season, reaching an amazing three cup finals. Below are the views from both teams as recorded after the semi-final win for Drogheda and after the recent league match between the two finalists in The Showgrounds.

Declan “Fabio” O Brien (Captained the Drogs and scored a goal in FAI Cup Final win over Cork City in 2005. Top scorer again this season and has scored 129 goals with the Drogs including a contender for Goal of the Season against Bohs last Friday)

“It’s been great to reach three cup finals but we certainly don’t want to come home with a silver medal again! It’s a sickening feeling to finish runners-up, so we will have only one aim on the day, to win the Cup and bring it back to Drogheda! We know we will have to play really well on the day and if we do, we have a fantastic chance of beating Sligo. We have great belief in ourselves and we have a lot of quality in the squad. I know Sligo don’t like playing us and we’re delighted not to be playing Shamrock Rovers, the bogey team for us this season!

Gary Rogers (Sligo Rovers goalkeeper and ex-Drogheda Utd player from Bohermeen, Co. Meath)

“I spent four great years with Drogheda and after all those years I’m still in regular touch with Fabio. We were even at each other’s weddings and Fabio was actually at my 21st! I’m really looking forward to the final and obviously will want to keep a clean sheet especially after conceding a goal against Drogheda in the last league clash!”

Mick Cooke Manager of Drogheda United for the past three years

“In the semi-final win over Dundalk I have to say that nobody likes to see anybody being sent off, never mind two! I didn’t see the first one properly as I was just going to talk to RTE but the second one looked a definite penalty when Fabio was brought down from behind. It’s an incredible achievement to reach three finals in the one season, but all credit to the players. However our chances of making the Top Four in the League were scuppered by the amount of draws we’ve had this season.”

Gary Stevens (Assistant Manager Sligo Rovers-Gary played for England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and played club football with Spurs and Brighton)

“We’ve had some good tussles with Drogheda this season, they have some good players and they are very hard working. I anticipate a really close game in the final. Of course it’s not about coming second-it’s all about winning on the day. Nobody remembers who finishes runners-up in a cup final!”

Robbie Horgan (Assistant Manager Drogheda Utd, who played for an amazing 25 years in the LOI)

We know we didn’t do ourselves justice in the semi-final against Dundalk but semi-finals are always about the result and not the performance! Hopefully it will be third time lucky for us this time! It will be the first FAI Cup final for most of the players and I will be telling them to make the most of it, as you don’t know when or if you ever will get the chance again!

Evan McMillan (Sligo Rovers centre-half,ex-Bohs, Pat’s and UCD)

“It’s been tight between the two sides all year with two draws in the league and a win apiece in the Setanta Cup semi-finals. We may have been the better team overall tonight [last league game] in a surreal kind of game, but Drogheda put us under a lot of pressure late on with Gary pulling off two great saves!”

Alan McNally (Drogs central defender)

“It’s the game of the season by a mile! For most of us it’s the biggest game in our careers as Fabio and David Cassidy are the only ones on our team to have played in an FAI Cup final. There is great competition for places all over the team and hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves on the day! I went to last year‘s final between Pat‘s and Derry and it was a fantastic game and a brilliant atmosphere! ”

David Cassidy (Drogheda United midfielder who won a runners-up medal with Shelbourne against Sligo in the 2011 final at the Aviva)

“It’s a great occasion and I’m grateful to get a second chance to play at the Aviva. Last time I had an extra bit of adrenalin at the start but usually players just settle down after a short while. Overall it is disappointing that our cup form didn’t transfer to the league. I think it’s nearly impossible to reach three cup finals, play in Europe and at the same time, be in serious contention for the league”

Danny North (Sligo Rovers Striker ex- Grimbsy Town & St.Pat’s, has recovered from a cruciate ligament injury)

“It’s my first time to play (if selected) in an FAI Cup final after losing two semi-finals with Pat’s. Drogheda have been a bit of a bogey side for us this season so we are not taking anything for granted! It’s a once-off game and anything can happen!

Mick Daly (Drogs defender explains why he loves the Drogheda fans) 

“I love playing with this club! Even when I have a bad game I never get any stick off the fans, as you would at other clubs. We all have bad games but the Drogheda fans always appreciate when you’re putting in your best effort! It’s the same with the other lads. Take Fabio for example, when he missed a few penos early on in the season, nobody got on his back! We may not get huge numbers, but we have loyal fans that have always supported me but that said, this one game could well define our whole season!