Ruaidhri Higgins on the cup being a catalyst for the Candystripes

Ruaidhri Higgins

Ruaidhri Higgins Credit: Peter Fitzpatrick (ETPhotos)

Rónán MacNamara reports from the Aviva Stadium

Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins believes winning the FAI Cup on Sunday could prove to be the catalyst and a springboard to greater things for his side.

The Candystripes were runners-up in the Premier Division to Shamrock Rovers although they saw off the Hoops in the FAI Cup Quarter-Final. Higgins was part of the playing staff under Stephen Kenny when Dundalk won a League Cup so he knows first-hand the effect that first piece of silverware can have on a team given the trophy-laden period that followed.

Cork City and Shamrock Rovers also won FAI Cups before finally chasing down Dundalk in the next Premier Division season to win the league.

“I do (believe the cup can be a springboard) because I was part of the Dundalk team in 2014 when we won the League Cup,” said Higgins who won two FAI Cups as a player with Derry. “I know it’s not the FAI Cup, but it was a trophy but it was sold as their first trophy in a while and it gave us a springboard.

“Cork were chasing Dundalk for a long time and got over the line (in the FAI Cup). Shamrock Rovers were chasing Dundalk for a long time and then won the cup (in 2019) and it was a catalyst for them. There is no reason why that can’t be us. We are an ambitious club and we are progressing.

"Ultimately, we want to come down here on Sunday (to the Aviva) and win the cup, but we know we are coming up against a really good side.”

Derry is a fanatical football town, but it has been starved of silverware with their last major honour coming in the 2012 FAI Cup final against St Patrick’s Athletic before the Saints got their revenge two years later which is incidentally their last appearance in the Landsdowne showpiece.

When Higgins took over the reins at the Brandywell in April 2021 the club were rooted to the foot of the Premier Division with days like Sunday far from the thoughts of Derry fans.

But the job was always an exciting prospect and now with the backing of billionaire owner Philip O’Doherty, the Limavady native is looking to deliver on his desire to win trophies for his hometown.



“To be brutally honest with you, I wouldn't have taken the job if I didn't feel that we had the opportunity to start competing again. Derry had a dry period. It's a mad football town and when it's going well there is unbelievable buzz around the city, which there is at the minute. 

“The first one or two conversations were could I bring Patrick McEleney and Michael Duffy home? And once he confirmed to me that he could make that possible, I knew it was going to be the right place for me. We want to compete, we want to win leagues, we want to win trophies but it doesn't happen overnight.

"Don't forget, we have signed three or four from the First Division as well, so we're not just going out and .... Patrick and Michael were obvious because they're from Derry but we're haven't just gone and hand picked whoever we wanted. It hasn't been the case at all. 

“In the summer window we had to move people on to get people in. Contrary to reports, Philip isn't a wealthy businessman for no reason. He doesn't just say yes to everything, believe me. 

“We do want to win trophies. We want to compete. It took Cork a while to get after Dundalk, it took Rovers a while to get after Dundalk and we know we are a work in progress and it doesn't happen overnight but we're happy with the progress we're making,” he added.

 




 

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