Behan: from Supersub to Superman

FROM support act to headliner, Cork City’s Denis Behan goes into tomorrow’s FAI Cup final in the most striking form of his career.

For the bulk of his time on Leeside, the 23-year-old was cast as the man in the gap, frequently forced to play second fiddle to the marquee names up front, including four players who are no longer at the club.

“Neale Fenn was a fantastic player,” says Behan. “You could learn so much from him. Everyone in the League was in awe of his touch. A great player and a good lad. Kevin Doyle was that little bit special — a bit of pace and power and he was good in the air which you need when go to England.

“I had only a brief time playing with him but Shane Long had tremendous pace and the heart of a lion. And Roy O’ Donovan’s pace was crucial. That five to 10 yard pace was frightening and would get him out of so much trouble — if he ever got into trouble. And he would hit the target all the time which was the main thing.”

Add in the goal-grabbing prowess of John O’Flynn when free from injury, and it’s not hard to see why Behan spent so much of his time warming the bench.

“I have always had to fight for my place because of the type of player I am,” he says. “I wouldn’t be the most flamboyant player but what I do I try to do effectively. I just had to bide my time and learn from some of the boys I have been playing with. And I have added it all and it is really only this year that it has come together. Damien has given me my chance, and the goals have started to come for me.”

Behan has most certainly made his mark this term, scoring a total of 15 goals for his team and hitting a particularly rich vein of form towards the end of the campaign.

“It’s a case of me being more relaxed now,” he says. “I have been given the chance to score goals. All I wanted was a run of games to score and I am just delighted that I am getting games now. Obviously your confidence grows from that and the run of goals I got proved that.”

The rewards have included a new contract, international recognition in the U-23 win over Slovakia, and reports of interest in the striker from Crystal Palace.

“I heard nothing about nothing,” Behan parries. “When you play in U-23 games, you are always going to get scouts coming over. When I was a free agent I was more attractive to clubs because I was less expensive and thereby less of a risk. But if you want to get a decent club then you have to go there and give yourself a proper chance. But I signed a three year here and I was happy to do that.”

Amid much recent unrest in the Cork City camp over player contracts, Behan is relieved that his own immediate future is secure. “It was a long drawn-out thing but it is great to have it signed,” he says. “The main thing is that I want to win medals and I believe we can do that here. We’re building a team which will be strong so I’m delighted with the deal. It gives a bit of security as well, which is important when you are talking about mortgages. I have a 30-year-mortgage hanging over my head and you are paying more than €1,000 a month — and you want to live a life as well — so the pressure is there. All those things have to be taken into account when you are making (contractual) decisions.’’

So, a good year so far for Denis Behan — but he’s quick to emphasise that it will require victory over Longford Town tomorrow to make it truly significant.

“Our season depends on this,” he says. “It is our livelihood. The UEFA Cup is a massive thing and this club needs to be in it.

“I don’t think we were unprofessional against Drogheda two years ago. It just didn’t work out for us that day. We didn’t play to our full potential. We could have upped our performance by 50% but we won’t make that mistake again. There will be no complacency. We are going into this game with the frame of mind that we are not going to leave this final behind us, no matter what.”