Darragh Burns made himself the hero for Derry City, yet when the final whistle blew and Waterford were beaten the reactions of both sets of players said so much about what they had been through.
Not just over the course of 93 minutes here but throughout this season. Men in red and white, and those in blue, collapsed to the turf. Waterford broken, Derry triumphant. Both worn out.
Delirious and despondent.
Oooooohhhhhhh, I wish I was back home in Derry
That was the famous tune belted out by the vast majority of the 36,093 at Aviva Stadium.
At the end of a season in which these clubs both relied on going back to basics to salvage something from dire straits, one of the most blatant truths in this game came to the fore.
Darragh Burns scores the winner. Dan Clohessy / INPHO
Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
Derry and Waterford were serving up a bit of a stinker. That can be forgiven when you consider the various dramas both have endured over the last number of months.
The Blues threatened by relegation and the anxieties that come with that, the Candystripes falling drastically short of a title challenge, changing manager and then embroiled in a very public spat with James McClean on a homecoming that turned sour.
This will feel sweet, at least.
This game needed something to stir it into life. A player to emerge from the dusty fog of pyro and smoke bombs. Two worlds and colours collided in Dublin 4 as red and blue filled the air. Through the haze emerged Burns, a Dubliner who will now go down in Derry lore as an FAI Cup match winner.
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He cut in from the right and was going away from goal. Beni Couto did well and passed him on to Evan McLaughlin, the midfielder turned his back and would then have watched Burns’ zinger of a low shot zip past Stephen McMullan in the 69th minute.
Burns had contorted his body to find the pace and precision in the strike. It was the singular moment of class and worthy of winning the cup.
For Waterford, a season that was infused with possibility following the arrival of Graham Coughlan as manager this summer ends with bitter notes of regret. Veteran striker Padraig Amond was embraced by winning boss Mark Connolly at full-time, a show of respect for the career the Carlow native has carved out.
Brian Maher reacts to the winner. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
His name wasn’t written in the stars and it’s Derry’s etched in the famous cup once more.
The effect this occasion can have on the nerves was clear/
The contrast in styles and preference for attack were there for all to see too. Blues boss Coughlan said he has stripped things back to basics since arriving on his rescue mission in the summer.
Well, this was a half in which that approach could also strip and peel the grimiest of wallpaper. Derry were equally tepid in their ability to penetrate in the final third, and there might have been a greater degree of controversy around the offside incorrectly called against Ellis Chapman had the Waterford defence not stopped due to the early flag.
The Candystripes looked more composed in possession but only until a point. A wild Michael Duffy shot over the bar before the break from 20 yards after good work to cut in from the left showed their limitations.
Waterford’s two up top also happened to be the most potent pairing in the League of Ireland with 31 goals between them in the Premier Division.
Derry City's Cameron Dummigan (left) and Waterford's Tommy Lonergan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Both have also delivered key moments on the run to this showpiece and Lonergan really should have broken the deadlock for his side on 33 minutes.
Long throws proved a fruitful source of confusion, at least, and their adherence to those basics of the game nearly paid off.
There can be careers made off first and second balls, and Lonergan’s legacy might well have been engraved in the finest Waterford Crystal had he kept his header down from six yards.
Couto’s throw from the left was flicked on by centre half John Mahon. The Republic of Ireland U21 striker was already on the move to meet the second connection.
It was strong but skied over the bar, the same woodwork which Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher had earlier pushed a Couto free kick against with a slightly misjudged attempt at a two-hand punch clear.
Coughlan clearly stayed true to those basic principles with a good old rocket up the backside of his players during the break.
Within the first five minutes of the re-start there was more purpose shown by midfielder McLaughlin by not sitting off the game and attempting a shot from the edge of the area while Noonan’s clear skill and cross from the left needed to be stopped at the near post with Amond lurking.
Conan Noonan has a shot for Waterford. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
This was beginning to smell and feel like a different game of football, although by 65 minutes that renewed vigour and anticipation had dissipated.
Two sides who played each other four times in the league and drew 10-10 on aggregate were caught in a stalemate.
The price of a mistake was rising in line with the cost of living crisis. Maybe Waterford will look back and think Couto or McLaughlin could have done more to close the space on Burns.
But there was so little of it for him to work with and the strike superb. Naturally, there was a late onslaught. Referee Kevin O’Sullivan was correct to ignore desperate appeals for a couple of penalties towards the end.
Waterford had fought so hard to save their season but just came up short on this stage as Burns stepped into the centre and grabbed his chance with both hands to lift the cup.
Derry City: Brian Maher; Cameron Dummigan, Jamie Stott, Patrick McEleney, Brandon Fleming; Nick Twisk, Adam O’Reilly; Darragh Burns (Kevin Dos Santos 76), Ellis Chapman, Michael Duffy (captain); James Clarke (Liam Boyce 85).
Waterford: Stephen McMullan; Hayden Cann, John Mahon, Kevin Long; Jorgen Voilas (Dean McMenamy 75); Noah Mawene, Evan McLaughlin (Luke Heeney 89), Conan Noonan, Bernardo Couto; Padraig Amond, Tommy Lonergan.
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Darragh Burns steps into the light to deliver glorious FAI Cup triumph for Derry City
Derry City 1
Waterford 0
ONE AND DONE.
Darragh Burns made himself the hero for Derry City, yet when the final whistle blew and Waterford were beaten the reactions of both sets of players said so much about what they had been through.
Not just over the course of 93 minutes here but throughout this season. Men in red and white, and those in blue, collapsed to the turf. Waterford broken, Derry triumphant. Both worn out.
Delirious and despondent.
Oooooohhhhhhh, I wish I was back home in Derry
That was the famous tune belted out by the vast majority of the 36,093 at Aviva Stadium.
At the end of a season in which these clubs both relied on going back to basics to salvage something from dire straits, one of the most blatant truths in this game came to the fore.
Derry and Waterford were serving up a bit of a stinker. That can be forgiven when you consider the various dramas both have endured over the last number of months.
The Blues threatened by relegation and the anxieties that come with that, the Candystripes falling drastically short of a title challenge, changing manager and then embroiled in a very public spat with James McClean on a homecoming that turned sour.
This will feel sweet, at least.
This game needed something to stir it into life. A player to emerge from the dusty fog of pyro and smoke bombs. Two worlds and colours collided in Dublin 4 as red and blue filled the air. Through the haze emerged Burns, a Dubliner who will now go down in Derry lore as an FAI Cup match winner.
He cut in from the right and was going away from goal. Beni Couto did well and passed him on to Evan McLaughlin, the midfielder turned his back and would then have watched Burns’ zinger of a low shot zip past Stephen McMullan in the 69th minute.
Burns had contorted his body to find the pace and precision in the strike. It was the singular moment of class and worthy of winning the cup.
For Waterford, a season that was infused with possibility following the arrival of Graham Coughlan as manager this summer ends with bitter notes of regret. Veteran striker Padraig Amond was embraced by winning boss Mark Connolly at full-time, a show of respect for the career the Carlow native has carved out.
His name wasn’t written in the stars and it’s Derry’s etched in the famous cup once more.
The effect this occasion can have on the nerves was clear/
The contrast in styles and preference for attack were there for all to see too. Blues boss Coughlan said he has stripped things back to basics since arriving on his rescue mission in the summer.
Well, this was a half in which that approach could also strip and peel the grimiest of wallpaper. Derry were equally tepid in their ability to penetrate in the final third, and there might have been a greater degree of controversy around the offside incorrectly called against Ellis Chapman had the Waterford defence not stopped due to the early flag.
The Candystripes looked more composed in possession but only until a point. A wild Michael Duffy shot over the bar before the break from 20 yards after good work to cut in from the left showed their limitations.
Waterford’s two up top also happened to be the most potent pairing in the League of Ireland with 31 goals between them in the Premier Division.
Both have also delivered key moments on the run to this showpiece and Lonergan really should have broken the deadlock for his side on 33 minutes.
Long throws proved a fruitful source of confusion, at least, and their adherence to those basics of the game nearly paid off.
There can be careers made off first and second balls, and Lonergan’s legacy might well have been engraved in the finest Waterford Crystal had he kept his header down from six yards.
Couto’s throw from the left was flicked on by centre half John Mahon. The Republic of Ireland U21 striker was already on the move to meet the second connection.
It was strong but skied over the bar, the same woodwork which Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher had earlier pushed a Couto free kick against with a slightly misjudged attempt at a two-hand punch clear.
Coughlan clearly stayed true to those basic principles with a good old rocket up the backside of his players during the break.
Within the first five minutes of the re-start there was more purpose shown by midfielder McLaughlin by not sitting off the game and attempting a shot from the edge of the area while Noonan’s clear skill and cross from the left needed to be stopped at the near post with Amond lurking.
This was beginning to smell and feel like a different game of football, although by 65 minutes that renewed vigour and anticipation had dissipated.
Two sides who played each other four times in the league and drew 10-10 on aggregate were caught in a stalemate.
The price of a mistake was rising in line with the cost of living crisis. Maybe Waterford will look back and think Couto or McLaughlin could have done more to close the space on Burns.
But there was so little of it for him to work with and the strike superb. Naturally, there was a late onslaught. Referee Kevin O’Sullivan was correct to ignore desperate appeals for a couple of penalties towards the end.
Waterford had fought so hard to save their season but just came up short on this stage as Burns stepped into the centre and grabbed his chance with both hands to lift the cup.
Derry City: Brian Maher; Cameron Dummigan, Jamie Stott, Patrick McEleney, Brandon Fleming; Nick Twisk, Adam O’Reilly; Darragh Burns (Kevin Dos Santos 76), Ellis Chapman, Michael Duffy (captain); James Clarke (Liam Boyce 85).
Waterford: Stephen McMullan; Hayden Cann, John Mahon, Kevin Long; Jorgen Voilas (Dean McMenamy 75); Noah Mawene, Evan McLaughlin (Luke Heeney 89), Conan Noonan, Bernardo Couto; Padraig Amond, Tommy Lonergan.
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.
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