AS REFEREE PADRAIGH SUTTON blew his final whistle in Dublin 4 yesterday afternoon, the joy among the St. Patrick’s Athletic fraternity – both on the pitch and in the stands – was unconfined. You wouldn’t expect anything else on cup final day though.
But, there was also pure relief. Relief that the club’s infamous cup famine was no more and relief that the burden of such an unwanted hoodoo was off the shoulders of the players that brought the blue-riband trophy back to Inchicore for the first time since 1961.
In the build-up to Sunday’s end-of-season showpiece at HQ, the St. Pat’s players batted question after question about pressure away and consistently insisted that there was no burden, there was no additional weight on their shoulders.
However, the team bus must have been a lot lighter as it pulled out of the Aviva Stadium, although it did have an additional piece of luggage on board. For, moments after lifting the blue-riband trophy aloft, Ger O’Brien could afford to admit what we all knew.
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“When you sign for this club, whether you’re steeped in tradition or not, you hear about the cup. We constantly insist it isn’t a burden but you certainly do,” He said, with a contented smile.
“You meet the fans and the older they are the more lost finals they’ve seemed to witness. Of course it’s pressure.”
O'Brien celebrates with Killian Brennan Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Since moving to Richmond Park two seasons ago, O’Brien has lifted the Airtricity League and FAI Cup. He is the first St. Pat’s captain to get his hands on the famous old cup since Tommy Dune. A lot of tried in the intervening period but O’Brien insisted it didn’t matter who lifted the silverware.
“It’s a great honour personally but it was all about winning the game. It didn’t matter who went up there. We didn’t play terrifically well but that doesn’t matter once you can get over the line and we managed that.
“It wasn’t a final to excite the neutrals but we won and that’s all we wanted. It’s just the way its fallen, so many great players, managers, people had a crack at this competition but thankfully it can be put to bed now. ”
Fittingly, it was Christy Fagan who proved the match-winner as he capped a superlative season with a brace after the interval. The striker netted 20 goals in the league and O’Brien was full of praise for his team mate.
“We were a little bit frustrated at half-time more than anything but we got behind Christy and just said we hadn’t played well but you could have had a hat-trick – there will be plenty more chances for you.
“And it came thankfully but boy I don’t want to see that goal again. In fairness to Derry they came out after that but we weren’t really troubled.”
During Liam Buckley’s tenure, the Saints have now won the league and cup in back-to-back seasons and O’Brien confessed yesterday’s triumph was every bit as sweet, if not sweeter than lifting the title twelve months ago.
“For the history, I think this is bigger. I think if you gave the fans a choice at the start of the season they would have said the cup, it means that much.
“It wasn’t a great final and certainly won’t go down as one of the best but we’ll remember it and that’s all that matters.”
O'Brien relieved to get weight of FAI Cup burden off shoulders
AS REFEREE PADRAIGH SUTTON blew his final whistle in Dublin 4 yesterday afternoon, the joy among the St. Patrick’s Athletic fraternity – both on the pitch and in the stands – was unconfined. You wouldn’t expect anything else on cup final day though.
But, there was also pure relief. Relief that the club’s infamous cup famine was no more and relief that the burden of such an unwanted hoodoo was off the shoulders of the players that brought the blue-riband trophy back to Inchicore for the first time since 1961.
In the build-up to Sunday’s end-of-season showpiece at HQ, the St. Pat’s players batted question after question about pressure away and consistently insisted that there was no burden, there was no additional weight on their shoulders.
However, the team bus must have been a lot lighter as it pulled out of the Aviva Stadium, although it did have an additional piece of luggage on board. For, moments after lifting the blue-riband trophy aloft, Ger O’Brien could afford to admit what we all knew.
“When you sign for this club, whether you’re steeped in tradition or not, you hear about the cup. We constantly insist it isn’t a burden but you certainly do,” He said, with a contented smile.
“You meet the fans and the older they are the more lost finals they’ve seemed to witness. Of course it’s pressure.”
Since moving to Richmond Park two seasons ago, O’Brien has lifted the Airtricity League and FAI Cup. He is the first St. Pat’s captain to get his hands on the famous old cup since Tommy Dune. A lot of tried in the intervening period but O’Brien insisted it didn’t matter who lifted the silverware.
“It’s a great honour personally but it was all about winning the game. It didn’t matter who went up there. We didn’t play terrifically well but that doesn’t matter once you can get over the line and we managed that.
“It wasn’t a final to excite the neutrals but we won and that’s all we wanted. It’s just the way its fallen, so many great players, managers, people had a crack at this competition but thankfully it can be put to bed now. ”
Fittingly, it was Christy Fagan who proved the match-winner as he capped a superlative season with a brace after the interval. The striker netted 20 goals in the league and O’Brien was full of praise for his team mate.
“And it came thankfully but boy I don’t want to see that goal again. In fairness to Derry they came out after that but we weren’t really troubled.”
During Liam Buckley’s tenure, the Saints have now won the league and cup in back-to-back seasons and O’Brien confessed yesterday’s triumph was every bit as sweet, if not sweeter than lifting the title twelve months ago.
“For the history, I think this is bigger. I think if you gave the fans a choice at the start of the season they would have said the cup, it means that much.
“It wasn’t a great final and certainly won’t go down as one of the best but we’ll remember it and that’s all that matters.”
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Aviva Stadium FAI Cup Relief Derry City