2024 FAI Cup

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Originally Posted by dcfc_legend9

There seems to be a perception around Derry that they have the squad and players. I genuinely don't see it and I haven't seen it for a while. The players are not good enough nor do they have the mentality to be good enough.

Drogheda didn't have to come out of second gear to win yesterday. They got the job done quite easily. Fair play to them.


We need a complete revamp... management, coaches and playing staff all need to be shown the door to do this. It will take years for us to at least try and compete again with the purse strings having to be tightened somewhat with no Europe and the ever growing list of teams improving.

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Some of our ex players have either been mis-managed or just didn't fit into Higgins style or maybe other reasons? Connolly positioning for the opening goal was shocker, I co-manage an u12 team, you wouldn't see that in our group. Why didn't Hoban start? Fats has been on / off all season, Duffy to be fair is a brilliant talent and got you to the final, not sure how Dummingan or Patching played this year, and where was Dan Kelly yesterday?

Said it time and time again, Higgins is a coach, not a manager, nice guy to be fair and was very decent to make some very kind words on Maxi live on tv after a game once, I also chatted to him a few times, very friendly, but back to business, I can't see him surviving this. All of this shows one thing, you can throw all the money you have on player wages, if the dressing room is not in a good place and the manager is not strong enough, you can forget about it.

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Originally Posted by oriel

Some of our ex players have either been mis-managed or just didn't fit into Higgins style or maybe other reasons? Connolly positioning for the opening goal was shocker, I co-manage an u12 team, you wouldn't see that in our group. Why didn't Hoban start? Fats has been on / off all season, Duffy to be fair is a brilliant talent and got you to the final, not sure how Dummingan or Patching played this year, and where was Dan Kelly yesterday?

Said it time and time again, Higgins is a coach, not a manager, nice guy to be fair and was very decent to make some very kind words on Maxi live on tv after a game once, I also chatted to him a few times, very friendly, but back to business, I can't see him surviving this. All of this shows one thing, you can throw all the money you have on player wages, if the dressing room is not in a good place and the manager is not strong enough, you can forget about it.

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Agree with most of that. Hoban, Dummigan and Kelly were injured though. It was the 50/50 decision with Hoban, do you start him and hope to get a good 50-55 mins out of him or do you spring him from the bench against what you hope to be tired legs and hope he can get you a goal. The decision backfired anyways.

I remember the exact same situation in the 2021 cup final when Georgie Kelly was coming back from injury for Bohs and they opted to start him, he did nothing in the game and was subbed off early in the second half, while in hindsight it probably would’ve been better to bring him off the bench in that game

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Originally Posted by El-Pietro

I went to the game today and met up with Brendyeire and co pre match.
It felt to me like there was a cloud over the Derry fans pre match. They seemed to come into the day with everything yo lose and nothing to gain.

...It's probably easy to say after the game but I think Derry were beaten before a kick of the ball today.

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I think I said to you before the game that we could win 4-0 or lose 2-0. None of us have had any faith in our ability to put a performance in recently, despite all the quality in the side. For most it has probably been the case since the humiliating loss to Bruno's Magpies. Personally, it was our gutless draw away to HB Tórshavn last year, which Higgins considered a decent result.

On the match, Drogheda were up for it, simple as that. We hadn't the backbone to stand up to them. What else can you say? Fair play to them, they had a gameplan and it worked. I've a real admiration for the job Doherty has done there. Duff will probably get manager of the year, but I'd give to Doherty.

I know we've had worse seasons in terms of league position and cup progression, but that's probably the most unpleasant season I've had supporting us for many a year. Said elsewhere, but a serious refresh needed.

Drogheda fans have sold out the East Stand for the play-off v Bray. The North Stand now open...

By looking at things, Bray have only been given two blocks in the West Stand and haven't sold them out yet.

Looking forward to the play-off on Saturday now. Hope it's a good game with a few twists and turns in it.

Their season was sinking already. Just a single win in last 5 league games was a giveway. 5/1? Only an idiot like me didnt put a fortune on Drogheda to win the final. Derry had tried their best but mentally they were done after loosing the league tittle fight.

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Originally Posted by Tomas

Their season was sinking already. Just a single win in last 5 league games was a giveway. 5/1? Only an idiot like me didnt put a fortune on Drogheda to win the final. Derry had tried their best but mentally they were done after loosing the league tittle fight.

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With the team Derry has and the peformance they put in on Sunday, and don't think anyone would genuoney say they tried their best. They were just not up for a fight for the cup the way Drogs were.

So who has been abusing the FAI Cup in Drogheda? Did someone fill it with Walker instead of Hunky Dory crisps