Bohemians vs Derry City

• Graeme McQueen
• Fri, Nov 21 2008


Bohemians and Derry City will battle it out in the final of the FAI Ford Cup at the RDS in Dublin on Sunday with both sides looking to round off their 2008 campaigns with a second piece of silverware.

Victory for Bohs will seal their first league and cup double since the 2000/01 season, while Derry are looking to add to the League Cup they won earlier in the season. It promises to be a fascinating encounter with Bohs having swept aside all and sundry in the league this season, winning the title by a colossal 19 points and breaking the all-time highest points total in the process. However, Derry are the only side not to have been beaten by the Gypsies this season which will ensure they go into the game full of confidence.

This will be the eighth time Derry have contested the FAI Cup final, having lifted the trophy in 1989, 1995, 2002 and 2006. Meanwhile, Bohs have got their hands on the trophy no less than six times.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, Bohs’ Boss Pat Fenlon said: “Having already won the league title, the FAI Cup final presents us with the opportunity of achieving a league and cup double, an achievement that does not happen very often in eircom League of Ireland football. In order to secure the cup, we have to overcome a huge obstacle. Derry City have performed very well all season and, in my opinion, this match will see the two best football teams in this country square up against one another.

"FAI Cup finals are always massive occasions and Sunday’s game will be no different. This is a very important competition and it is a great opportunity for this club and this group of players to win another trophy”.

Bohs secured the league title back at the start of October, but there was no let up from them in the last few games of the season as they took nine points from their final four games. The only team to take points off them in that spell, however, was none other than Derry City.

Nevertheless, Derry City boss Stephen Kenny is predicting an uphill battle for his side. “They are rightfully favourites for the cup and no-one can dispute that,” he said. “But we must believe in ourselves and make sure we apply ourselves the right way for such a big game,” he said.

“Bohemians are a formidable team, they finished 19 points ahead of St Pat's and 27 points above us, so we'll have to play well to win. This is a game which we should be excited about and it would be brilliant to bring the cup back to the city again."

With Jason McGuinness suspended, former Derry player Ken Oman will partner Liam Burns in the centre of the Bohs defence. Bohs will also be missing Antony Murphy with an ankle ligament injury, however their mercurial Lithuanian midfielder Mindaugas Kalonas is available for selection after being excused from international duty.

Derry City have a clean bill of health going into the game with no suspensions or injuries.

### The final kicks off at 3.00pm on Sunday and tickets are still available from both clubs and also from www.ticketmaster.ie.