Derry legend Farren hopes to earn one more stripe
Because just contemplating finishing his Candystripes career with a run out against St. Patrick’s Athletic in the FAI Ford Cup final is some achievement in itself for the 30-year-old striker.
Though he’s unlikely to start the game, coming off the bench at some stage would present Derry fans with the perfect stage to show their appreciation for a player who has stuck with the club through thick and thin despite enduring a major health issue.
Having been joint-top scorer as Derry won the First Division in 2010 — following the club’s demotion the previous year for financial irregularities — Farren underwent surgery to remove a benign tumour on his brain.
That he is back playing at all at this level is testament to his determination and what his former boss at the Brandywell Stephen Kenny called “unbelievable courage”.
And having broken Derry legend Liam Coyle’s scoring record of 112 goals for the club earlier this season, hitting the winner in Dublin 4 on Sunday would be a dreamland epilogue.
“It would be nice,” agreed Farren. “We’ve got a big squad, so the chances of me playing are not definite. You always hope to get that chance.”
Farren will then leave Derry to join Glenavon in the Irish League where he hopes to get more game time.
“Twice a year, I’ve to get scans – it’s ongoing,” he explained of his condition. “I just have to keep with it and I’m glad that they are keeping an eye on it. I’m in the clear at the moment, so I’m happy enough with that.
“I’d known for three or four years before anybody else knew about it,” he added on discovering he had a problem.
“It was a hard thing to keep quiet for those couple of years as nobody really knew. But I knew, which was probably the more difficult thing.
“Some of the things I was getting before matches, like fits, made it more difficult for me, but I managed to get through it and I was lucky enough to do that.
“(Football) took my mind off everything else that was happening and gave me something to aim at. When Stephen (Kenny) was here, he helped as well. I never really thought about it, which was good for me.”
Following the operation in December 2010 and getting the all clear from doctors to resume playing, Farren initially wore a helmet, like that worn by Chelsea’s Petr Cech. But he soon decided to ditch it.
“There was always risks involved with me playing on, so the helmet was obviously going to help. But it was more of a personal choice (to stop using it), because it was uncomfortable as there was too much heat in it when I played,” he explained.
And while he actually scored a headed goal while wearing it, he never felt right heading the ball with it on.
“You are trying to head it one way and it could go the other way. It was difficult playing with it, so I had to make the decision to go without it.”
“Hopefully I can stay clear of injuries and maybe play a couple more years,” he says of his future with Glenavon. Then maybe I will get into the coaching side of it.”
Though underdogs, Derry have hit form and Farren is quietly confident they can do what they did when he scored in the seven goal thriller against St. Pat’s in 2006 and take the cup back to Foyleside.
“It’s good for the lads to be involved in a cup final because it’s been a difficult year for us.
“But we’ve finished off the year in good form, so we’re looking forward to the game and hopefully it’s a good day out for everyone.
“We’ve finished well and we’re hitting form. So hopefully we can manage one last win and lift the cup again.”
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