Adam Foley: 'It's our job to take the emotion out and concentrate on winning that Cup'

Adam Foley holds the trophy prior to the big final on Sunday.

Adam Foley has delayed his honeymoon until after Sunday’s FAI Cup final and plans to bring sweet music with him to Nashville.

Drogheda United’s semi-final hero – the striker bagged a brace off the bench in the 3-2 win over Wexford – married Nadine in April aware their holiday would have to wait.

It injects a truism to the joke of interrupting this marriage to bring you the football season.

Regardless of whether they upset favourites Derry City in Sunday’s decider at Lansdowne Road, there’s another shootout against Bray Wanderers on Saturday week to preserve their top-flight status.

“She understood we couldn’t go away until at the end of the season but in fairness she is great,” explained the 34-year-old forward about his predicament.

“Nadine is at every game home and away. We went to last year’s Cup final together and we always said we’d get here one day. Now this is the year.

“There is big excitement in our house at the moment for the two games then the honeymoon. Nadine has the house done up with bunting and flags.

“She wanted her April wedding – so got her April wedding! – and is mad into country music so we’re going to Nashville first. We’ve got Orlando too but I wanted to go to Cancun at the end just to chill out, drink a beer and read a book.” 

Prevailing on Sunday would constitute a new chapter in Drogheda’s history. Their sole FAI Cup victory came 19 years ago by denying Cork City the double and they’ve defied their tag as the only part-time club in the top-flight to face off against the Candystripes.

As a Drogheda resident, the veteran has seen how Cup final fever has gripped the town and its environs.

35-year-old Foley celebrates scoring in the FAI Cup semi-final against Wexford. 

Last year’s record attendance of 43,881 will be difficult to beat but the feeling is that Drogs will have as many fans as Derry for their fifth final.

“Luke Heeney and I visited our local school on Tuesday, where around 1,000 kids were waiting to give us a guard of honour.

“A teacher was on top of the chair blasting out Free From Desire. The whole place went ballistic.

“It’s such a real community buzz ahead of Sunday. Unlike any other club I’ve been at, when you walk through Drogheda town, you don’t see any Manchester United, Liverpool or Celtic jerseys. They all wear Drogheda shirts.” 

Derry availed of the wide pitch to dismantle Damien Duff’s Shelbourne 4-0 in the 2022 final but Foley holds no fear. Defeating Derry 2-1 six weeks ago contributed to another year passing without the northerners ending their 27-year title famine.

“Our assistant manager Darragh Doyle counts the steps in every ground and, while everybody thinks our pitch is narrow, it’s the same as most grounds,” explained Foley about the perception of a tight Weavers Park favouring Drogs.

“Aviva is six yards longer in width and depth but we won in Derry on a bigger pitch last year.

“It won’t faze us. Derry have Paul McMullan and Michael Duffy on the wings but we have Conor Kane and Elicha Ahui to combat that. We saw that in our win a few weeks ago. They’ll do the same at Aviva on Sunday.” In this twilight stage of his career, Foley captures the magnitude of this opportunity.

“This is it,” he declares with a smile. “Being 35 in a few weeks, I’ve to be realistic. Unless you’re with one of the big teams, this doesn’t come around much.

“We’re underdogs but that’s the case for us in every game. It’ll be a huge occasion but it's our job to take the emotion out and concentrate on winning that Cup.”