A BEAMING FILIPPO Giovagnoli hailed his players and says he proved a point with Dundalk’s FAI Cup success against Shamrock Rovers. 

Dundalk won a rollicking game 4-2 after extra time, wreathing Giovagnoli’s first adult coaching job in silverware. 

“I am going to bring the trophy into my room tonight. I want to sleep with it”, said Giovagnoli after the game. 

“It means a lot for us, after what we sacrificed in the last three months. When you arrive in an environment when people are sceptical about you, you want to prove yourself. I think we deserve to be here, to be at this level, and we are going to keep working hard for this club to win more trophies, develop players, and make this club stronger.

“This is a really good feeling, but the best feeling is when I can see the players happy. When I see they are happy, then I am happy. This is how I am. To see them work hard and see what they have achieved this season, it’s really something, and more important than a trophy.” 

Giovagnoli also put the Cup success in the context of next season, and though he has yet to sign a contract to be in charge next year, he is evidently planning to stick around. 

“It’s really important. We want to show Dundalk is there. It was a short season, a short league, and I think the Cup has the same value as the league. We wanted to show we are there and are still at the top with Shamrock and can fight with them in the future. 

“If they also won the Cup it would have been a problem, as they would get so much confidence and think they are unbeatable. We showed tonight they are not, and we can compete with them next year for the title. 

“Playing in Europe helped us. We played against teams of an amazing level and that helps us to keep focus and fight until the end, that was the only way we could bring home the Cup tonight. Shamrock really showed the quality they have, and it’s important for us to avoid them winning the double.” 

David McMillan was the Cup final hero with a hat-trick, and his manager likened his match-winner to Italian legend Pippo Inzaghi. 

“Personally I’m delighted, I can’t believe it”, said McMillan. “It’s been a tough season for us, but it’s a great way to finish. 

“We were league winners last year, nearly treble winners, and obviously suffered the disappointment of the Cup. Coming here, we had lost the league, and that gave us a little bit extra motivation. There’s been a lot of criticism from all angles, some of it deserved and some of it not, but it was about putting in another big performance and I think we showed it in the second half and in extra time.” 

Captain Chris Shields had his own night of Cup final redemption, having missed last year’s decider through suspension. 

It’s huge. Honestly it’s been on my mind for 13 months. It hit me really hard. I walked out last year during the national anthem and saw my mother and my wife in tears, that I was walking out not playing. So to captain the team tonight is probably the greatest honour of my career, so it’s great that things have come full circle for me. 

“It was an enjoyable game to play in. For how many years have fans been packed into here and watched stinkers, so to be involved in an entertaining final is good. We showed we are not finished as a club and we are not finished as a group of players.” 

Dundalk remain mired in uncertainty off the pitch, with 18 players out of contract next week. Shields called on the club to keep the squad together. 

“For a group of players told they had an awful year, to make the group stages of the Europa League, to win the Cup final and secure European football next year isn’t too bad. It’s now up to the club to get contracts sorted and soon, it’s a shame it’s been going on this late. The whole group wants them sorted, as we are a tight-knit group.”