NOTHING HAS FELT normal for Derry City this season so it seems only apt that the man who led them to FAI Cup glory will soon be the one searching for a permanent manager.

Mark Connolly was still playing in the Irish League with Coleraine in May.

When Derry owner Philip O’Doherty then appointed him the club’s new director of football on 11 June he could see a new career path open up.

Well, not quite.

The club made the decision to axe manager Tiernan Lynch in mid-August and Connolly stepped up to fill the void on a temporary basis.

The glory of this cup win will be permanent.

Throughout this uncertainty there was also the very public fallout with Derry icon and Republic of Ireland centurion James McClean.

Connolly’s caretaker duties concluded with Sunday’s 1-0 win over Waterford to ensure silverware will return to the north of Ireland.

A Cup winner in 2022 and loser in 2024, this year will be remembered as peculiar vintage.

The celebrations will continue on Monday before Connolly ramps up attempts to find a manager capable of making Derry title challengers.

“That’s the job now. Tomorrow morning, wake up, have a meeting and then probably go to the pub and then the following day, the work commences. I’m trying to bring someone in that hopefully moves the club forward.

“Whoever it is coming in, is coming into an outstanding group of footballers, a team that’s going to be playing Europa League football next season and with something to build on.

Waterford boss Graham Coughlan after the defeat. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

“Thereare a lot of good things happening at the club, infrastructure, loads of things happening, so it’s important that we kick on and it’s exciting times.

“We need to sort of take stock, sit back and go, ‘where do we build on it?’ We have to build. We can’t just win the Cup and then all of a sudden say we’re going to win the league next year.

“Shamrock Rovers have done it six out of seven and they’ve built a club over the last number of years. I think that’s the aim for us now, is to build a football club that’s not just going to win a league once, but potentially win it year on year and be that sort of driving force.”

Connolly acknowledged that opposite number Graham Coughlan would have been on his radar had he not agreed a new two-year deal with Waterford, labelling him “the manager of the year.”

The Blues boss admitted that his side didn’t do enough to trouble the Derry goal and there was a level of defiance as he looked to the future.

“We want to emulate what Derry have done. We want to be here to right a wrong. We want to return here on a regular basis. I think we’ve got a strong foundation.

“I’d love to take this group of lads back here for silverware. There are young kids in there hurting, they’re human beings first and foremost, and they need to be protected. The parenting kicks in a bit, you look after them like your kids and want to take care of them.”

Understandably he was sore at this defeat, while Connolly spoke of the joy he felt.

“I take pride, the biggest pride I take and I’m being honest here is that there’s a lot of happy faces, a lot of people smiling and that’s staff members, that’s players and that’s I don’t know how many thousand Derry fans.

“Them singing at the end and the faces of all the parents and kids and all the people that came tonight was incredible and that’s probably the biggest thing that I will take pride in, is bringing them a sense of happiness and pride back to the city.”