Shane Farrell savours Drogheda FAI Cup win two years on from 'lowest moment in my career'
CUP DELIGHT: Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty celebrates with Shane Farrell. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
From the smallest county in Ireland came the biggest story of domestic football in 2024.
Shelbourne’s title success began the year of the underdog but Drogheda United cemented it.
This was the contrast of the only part-time club in the Premier Division – who must come down from the cloud to beat Bray Wanderers in next Saturday’s relegation playoff – against a Derry side bankrolled by local billionaire Philip O’Doherty.
And yet this was a clash of the unfancied team against a seemingly superior one who didn’t seem to fancy it at all.
FAI Cup successes have glossed over the Derry title famine stretching back to 1997 and here they were found wanting, outfoxed and outfought by worthy winners.
Around half of the Drogheda squad must book an annual leave for today, when their celebrations back at Scotch Hall were restrained by the necessity to train for survival Saturday.
Goals in each half - Andrew Quinn’s 37th volley followed by a Douglas James-Taylor penalty 13 minutes after the break – clinched only the second FAI Cup in a century of history.
Their first and last one, beating Cork City, was the catalyst for Setanta Cup and Premier success but it was fleeting.
In the last off-season, Drogs were taken over by US sports investment firm Trivela and have European football to look forward to in 2025. As FAI Cup champions, they enter at the second-round stage, guaranteeing €525,000.
Those riches will be parked while the mission of Premier Division existence is prioritised.
An emotional day for Doherty – when he celebrated with his daughter Issy at full-time and thought of his Dad Liam who died four years ago – will be cherished regardless of the league outcome.
Drogs players will assemble for training with medals and memories for engineering this unlikely upset.
Doherty was critical of his side following their 5-1 defeat to Derry in late June but they finished strongly, exacting revenge over the Candystripes in the league and replicating Blue Riband.
“Facing Derry, it was all about our shape - I don’t mean the actual formation - but plugging holes,” said Doherty afterwards, who revealed boxer Eric Donovan had addressed the squad in midweek.
“We did a lot of work on Michael Duffy before in his duels and when we looked at the stats Elicha Ahui had done the best job on him in the whole league.
“Derry have such good players that you can have one good plan and something else happens. Everyone had to stand up and they did.”
Shane Farrell was one of those heroes. Made available by Damien Duff in July, he found a new energy up the M1 and holds the rare distinction of being a double winner. His league medal for playing 15 times in Shelbourne’s success is on its way.
“The lowest moment in my career was two years ago,” said the midfielder about his last Cup final against Derry, a 4-0 loss. “I caused two of Derry’s goals and got substituted at half-time.
“My confidence was shattered. I remember having a chat with Damien about my confidence. He said: 'You just need to pick up again.' But I just couldn't get going.”
Ruaidhri Higgins must feel that way but is determined to stick at his Derry City job. Appointed in 2021, they won the Cup in 2022 before finishing runners-up to Shamrock Rovers in the league 12 months later.
Three weeks ago they were in the shout of a double but 2025 will be the first year since 2020 they haven’t graced Europe.
“The club means an awful lot to me and I get criticised for being emotionless at times,” he lamented afterwards.
“I am an extremely emotional person and when you don't achieve it hurts and hurts badly, affects your life and the people around you.
“Do I still have the drive and the hunger to keep going? When the dust settles, my intentions right now are to keep going, we have to try and look forward.
"I had eight and a half years as a player, three as a manager, so 12-odd years I represented this club.
“It's extremely raw, I am proud to represent and manage the club, I am still in contract.
“When times are tough you have two options, you can roll over or come out fighting. I live in the city, when the going gets tough normally you come out fighting and I am sure that's what we will do.
“There has to be a refresh and a reboot. There's work to be done, that's for sure, over the off-season for the club to try and go forward.”
Time will tell whether he’s given that time.
L Dennison; E Ahui, A Quinn, D Webster, J Bolger, C Kane; D Markey, R Brennan (G Deegan 90), S Farrell (L Heeney 73); D James-Taylor, F Pierrot (A Foley 68).
B Maher; R Boyce (P Hoban 66), M Connolly, S McEleney, A Wisdom (J Davenport 82); S Diallo, A O’Reilly; P McMullan (S Robertson 57), P McEleney (W Patching 45+4), M Duffy; D Mullen (C Whelan 57).
Rob Harvey (Dublin).
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