Setbacks hard to take for Derry but they have rebounded before
BEEN HERE BEFORE: Derry City's Ciaran Coll poses for a portrait during the Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup semi-finals media day at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Such was the despondency emerging from the Derry City dressing-room on Friday that you’d hardly know they were seven games away from a potential double.
Ciarán Coll was just six years of age when the Candystripes last won the title in 1997 and it wasn’t until he passed his 31st birthday that the taste of a first trophy was sampled.
There’s another FAI Cup final on November 10 available should they beat Bohemians in Friday’s semi-final.
Stumbles, like last Friday’s 2-1 defeat at second-from-bottom at Drogheda United, have prevented them taking ownership of a title race they’ve been jostling with throughout the season.
Local billionaire Philip O’Doherty made it clear within hours of City hammering Shelbourne in the Cup final two years ago of his intention to fund a tilt at dislodging champions Shamrock Rovers.
Even though they’re currently succeeding in that footrace against the Hoops, reeling in leaders Shels during the five-game run-in seems a task, given their inconsistency.
The tattoo inked into his right bicep – a Stairway to Heaven in honour of his late grandmother – is a fitting metaphor for a side tainted by their near-misses in recent years.
“We’ve had setbacks before and rebounded from them really well the following week,” noted the full-back, hailing from St Johnston in Co Donegal.
“Every team has them – just look at Shamrock Rovers losing 3-0 at home to St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday. Things just didn’t go right for us against Drogheda so hopefully we put those mistakes behind us on Friday.
“It is a hard one to take when you do get those setbacks. There is not really a right answer on it.”
They must find an answer quickly against a Bohemians side sluggish in form but with a good track record in the cup. They are vying for their third final in the space of four years.
Coll was on the bench for both of Derry’s visits to Dalymount this year, a win and loss apiece, and the Gypsies are rank underdogs to bely their eight position in the table.
“We don’t really look at it as being favourites because we just want to take it game by game,” he said about the perceived pressure.
“Dalymount is a tough place to go – Danny Mullen scored a late winner the last time – and he’s in a bit of form.”
That Cup memory of 2022 still burns.
“We had thousands outside the Guild Hall waiting on us,” he recalls of the victory parade.
“I was able to take my wee boy Kedan onto the pitch and he will be able to look back on that and say ‘Daddy took me out onto the pitch.’
“Hopefully, I can do it again with my other wee boy Cody, who’s only 17 months, if we can come out the right side of it.”
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