FAI Cup final: Chris Forrester has ‘fire in the belly’ for derby decider

It’s been a decade since Chris Forrester came to mainstream attention by producing an audacious lob in the 5-1 hammering of a Stephen Kenny-managed Shamrock Rovers.

In attendance during the announcement of the PFA Ireland Award Nominees 2021 is, PFA Ireland Player of the Year Nominee Chris Forrester of St Patrick's Athletic at Castleknock Golf Club in Dublin. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Ageism has become an enemy of Chris Forrester before he’s even reached 30 but Sunday’s FAI Cup final presents the stage to show he’s not just young at heart.

The perception of being on his last legs is likely attached to the midfielder’s longevity.

It’s been a decade since he came to mainstream attention by producing an audacious lob in the 5-1 hammering of a Stephen Kenny-managed Shamrock Rovers.

He’s still in the colours of St Patrick’s Athletic — service broken by three-and-a-half years in Britain with Peterborough and Aberdeen — and will contest his third decider at Aviva Stadium, ironically against first club Bohemians.

He captained Peterborough in an FA Cup tie at Chelsea in early 2017, shortly after making the provisional Ireland squad, but came home for personal reasons.

Being reminded of what might have been is a regular occurrence. Off-colour performances in his first two seasons back at Inchicore bred that tag of ‘nearly man’ but he bounced back with gusto.

So influential has been Forrester’s contribution to their runners-up finish in the league and Cup final run that, before he turns 29 next month, he’s one of three nominees for the Players’ Player of the Year accolade.

“It’s a good opportunity to shut people up because a lot were doubting me,” explained Forrester about the cup final. “And rightly so as I was playing fairly poorly for the last two years. You’ll always have doubters but the haters are the motivators.

A lot of people with that opinion have not seen me play recently. I’ve got that fire in my belly to say I’m still a good player.

“Not that I have to prove anything to them but shove it in their face. It’s the motivation to shut them up; this person, this journalist or whoever’”

There’ll be an unidentified player in the opposition line-up he’ll be exacting his revenge on too. It’s one to watch out for.

“Some players have given me stick this season,” he said. “One was from Bohs, so we’ll see how that goes on Sunday. In one game, he said: ‘He used to be somebody, now he’s not.’ I’d lose my head for a few minutes. I don’t really tend to dwell on the comments but it’s more just about putting it in the back of your head and go prove that he’s wrong.”

As a process of elimination when it comes to midfield combatants, anyone assuming his nemesis is Keith Buckley would be off-target.

“He’s my mate and wouldn’t say that,” he clarifies about the Bohs skipper and fellow inner-city Dubliner. “We played in the same teams for Belvedere and Bohemians.

“Bucko is Bucko, standing on your toes and stuff like that. The referees seem to keep missing it but I’ve told him I’ll by asking the ref on Sunday to watch him!

“You know what you get when up against Keith. He will work really hard, be dogged and have good quality on the ball. I’m expecting a good battle.”

Forrester will be looked to by boss Stephen O’Donnell to provide the spark, a responsibility he embraces.

It’s not like his first showpiece in 2012, when nerves triggered pre-match vomit in the dressing room.

O’Donnell has entrusted his veteran with the role of mentor, guiding youngsters such as Alfie Lewis and Darragh Burns through the biggest day of their young careers. He can impart his knowledge from a position of authority.

Avoid marking the occasion with new boots is a prerequisite. “They weren’t even broken in and I got blisters,” he recalls of that defeat to Derry City. “I was just running on adrenaline, thinking I’m going to cruise through the final but you have to be fully concentrated.

“There’s 30,000 tickets sold for Sunday and it’s a big occasion but you have to stay switched on. That’s the message I’ll be passing onto the younger boys.”

And he won’t be attempting anything outlandish to impress the flock of British scouts flying in to snare a bargain.

“I don’t have any interest in going back away,” insisted Forrester, whose contract at Inchicore expires after the final. “I’m happy being home, settled in my family situation. Sure, I don’t think anyone would want to take me at this stage. The legs are gone, aren’t they?”

His detractors might be eating their words this weekend.