David Sneyd reports from Aviva Stadium

KEVIN DOHERTY COULD feel the tears coming and he had no desire to try and fight them back.

The Drogheda United manager could enjoy the final few moments of his side’s underdog victory over Derry City.

A 2-0 lead allowed for time to not only reflect but prepare for the joy to come.

He thought of his late father Liam. “He is the reason I got into football,” Doherty said.

His wife Laura – “my tower of strength” – was sitting just beside the Drogheda bench throughout this historic victory, just the second time in the club have lifted this trophy. He thought of her father, who is currently in hospital, and what this meant to him, and also of the days the couple have spent together throughout the years.

There was his own mother, Nuala, and his uncles and aunties, and cousins, and even a handful of old colleagues from the post office in a premium level box. “A few postmen, maybe they’re counting their Christmas money early.”

That is the full-time job Doherty gave up at the start of this season, one that has not yet ended but has delivered a moment that will bring Drogheda to a standstill for a few days before next Saturday’s promotion/relegation play-off with Bray Wanderers.

Doherty stood still himself after the final whistle blew for just enough time to be hugged by his daughter, Issy. “Jaysus, don’t say I called her Isabelle,” he laughed.

She had a claret and blue headband on and gripped her Dad as tight as she ever did before. “I was dying for her to get on. I wanted her to get on,” Doherty said.

The pride and the love was bursting out. And then came the tears. This was a moment Doherty imagined himself in the minutes after last year’s FAI Cup final when he attended St Patrick’s Athletic’s win over Bohemians. He watched former Saints boss Jon Daly celebrate with his daughters on the pitch and was so taken by it that he sent Daly a message there and then congratulating him.

“I thought to myself, ‘Please God that will be me one day’ and here we are,” Doherty said, clenching his two fists together and punching the words from his mouth.

Now he was the one being embraced by so many who hold him dear. He still had the winners’ medal around his neck long after full time and the sense of occasion had by no means diminished.

“I literally couldn’t help myself [from crying]. Going into injury time, I could feel it, ‘Oh no, this is on telly!’ I didn’t plan on crying on national TV but you can’t hide from your emotions, especially when you’re true to yourself. I literally couldn’t help myself,” Doherty said.

“It’s not an act. I can promise you, when I walked in, I was ridiculously calm. I couldn’t believe it. I just felt so calm. I knew we’d prepared.”

It showed with a performance that Derry simply couldn’t match.

Drogheda will still be back training tomorrow afternoon at 1pm because of that play-off but Doherty still made it clear that this would be a success to cherish properly. He had started speaking with a psychologist in the build up to help prepare his players mentally for this occasion and even had former boxer Eric Donovon in to speak to the players. His wife, Laura, was previously the head of girls’ football for the club.

Little things like Dermot McKenna, a club official, organising an Garda escort from City North Hotel to the Aviva Stadium also helped the a day like no other go off without a hitch.

“There was no point trying to pretend it was any other game, of course it’s not. I said that to the players and told them I was nervous too but we done our work the right way, we prepared, so just go out and enjoy it,” Doherty said.

The only time even a hint of anger emerged was when Doherty spoke about a co-commentator on LOIT TV who derided him and his players as “amateur” when Derry beat them 5-1 at the Brandywell. That slight didn’t inspire this moment, far from it, but there was a little bit of added spark when he brought it up.

This game was won by clarity of thought and confidence in execution.

A training session on pitch five at Abbotstown on Thursday – the exact same dimensions as the Aviva helped – helped with that but what was most important was the performance of his players. Shane Farrell was hailed for his tireless running but also his confidence “to get on the ball in deep positions and help us play when we could.”

Conor Kane, another former Shelbourne man, was praised after missing the 2022 final through injury and finally, finally, Doherty could briefly consider the implications of qualifying for Europe next season and a financial boost for the club of circa €500,000 for their participation in the second round of UEFA Conference League qualifiers.

But most of all there was a sense of vindication at this achievement.

“I believe in myself, I always have,” Doherty said.

Everyone in Drogheda is a believer now too.