FAI Cup: Shane Griffin ready for battle alongside former rival Stephen O'Donnell

Shane Griffin was part of the Cork City side that beat the O’Donnell-captained Dundalk on a penalty shoot-out in the 2017 decider.

Shane Griffin of St Patrick's Athletic during the St Patrick's Athletic FAI Cup Final Media Day at Richmond Park in Dublin. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

After inflicting FAI Cup heartache during Stephen O’Donnell’s playing career, Shane Griffin is hellbent on delivering success in the competition for his manager.

Griffin was part of the Cork City side that beat the O’Donnell-captained Dundalk on a penalty shoot-out in the 2017 decider.

The skipper missed the following year’s final between the teams due to injury, influencing his decision to retire a month later.

O’Donnell was soon headhunted into management by St Patrick’s Athletic owner Garrett Kelleher and recruited defender Griffin from City at the start of last season.

Together, they’ve transformed the Saints into challengers for the title and FAI Cup.

Although they came up short against Shamrock Rovers in the league, silverware is on offer at the Aviva Stadium against Bohemians on Sunday.

Experience of Cup finals is a vital commodity with both Griffin and O’Donnell sampling contrasts in their visits to the national stadium.

“This will be my third final and I have seen both sides of it,” said the Carrigaline native. “It’s chalk and cheese; the elation of winning it and what could have been when losing it.”

Having a winner in O’Donnell leading the side does, however, fuel confidence of them brushing off a Bohemians side they had 10 points to spare on in the recently completed league campaign.

“He was the one we had to keep quiet during that rivalry between Cork and Dundalk,” Griffin reflects. “He was a big player and a big influence, so it is good to be on his team going into a Cup final. Knowing his mentality and will to win, it’s great to have something like that in our ranks.

“I saw it as a compliment that he signed me. We’d been rivals for years but he rated me. Because we were rivals for a lot of years, I saw it as a compliment.”

Cork dominated Cup finals, contesting four in a row against Dundalk up to 2018, but Griffin will be the sole Leesider participating in the showpiece.

He added: “There was maybe added pressure playing for your local club but the stakes are the same. You want to end up on the winning team.”