Hoodoo, monkey off our back, curse, famine, all those words, all those cup disappointments since Pat Byrne held the third successive FAI Cup aloft in 1987 (also our third successive double) albeit with the still raw shock that the Kilcoynes were upping sticks, selling Milltown and taking the club to Tolka Park’s Stadium of the Future. Some future that turned out to be, but it’s all water under the Dodder bridge now as we all know. Rovers have a massively promising future again with this group of players who thoroughly deserve silverware for the most entertaining season I can remember since that wonderful Four in a Row squad.
It’s crazy to think that the 84-87 squad was about to break up thanks to the Kilcoynes deciding to play Russian Roulette with the club. It’s hugely heartening however that Bradley’s 2019 vintage is certainly going to be the opposite. In my opinion, this is just the start for this group. Fans are by nature fickle and impatient. We want silverware yesterday, a couple of dodgy results and we all fall into the emotion of doom, despondency and calls for change. When Drogheda knocked us out in the first round last year, many of us were calling for the board to open another managerial trapdoor and dispense with Stephen Bradley. It is to the utmost credit of the Rovers board that the trapdoor remained padlocked. It is also to the greatest credit of Bradley that he never lost his nerve with what he was trying to do. It is to our shame that so many of us called for Bradley’s head. But hey, that’s hindsight eh? And as I say, we fans are fickle. But today we’re the happiest of fans and all is well with the world.
Yesterday’s dramatic, emotional roller-coaster ride of a win was hugely deserved on the day. One of the discussions on the Rovers Chat was would Gary O’Neill or Greg Bolger start and personally my preference was for young O’Neill who has demonstrated a poise, calmness and class since getting in the team. Bolger’s late introduction really told in extra time as he ensured Rovers heads remained focussed after that sickening Duffy equalizer. It is fitting that both ended up on the park and both scored their penalties with O’Neill being the man to go down in history and steal Aaron McEneff’s thunder as the eventual match winner.
What can one say about all thirteen who played yesterday? Every single one of them put in a tremendous shift and one could make a case for several others to be named Man of the Match ahead of Pat Fenlon’s choice of Pico Lopes. The gigantic Mannus made an important save from Gartland in the first half and was otherwise untested until the penalty shootout when he made that even more crucial save from Dundalk’s second kick. Getting Big Al back was one of the turning points of Bradley’s tenure. He is Ireland’s number 1 and no arguments.
Joey O’Brien ran Pico close for me as MOTM. The man is made of the right stuff in playing through injury so often this season. We were a far more vulnerable team when Joey had to miss out. He was majestic yesterday. Timing, positioning, authority and a sumptuous penalty in the shootout. He will play till he drops. Beside him Pico had Hoban in his pocket and so often made telling and massive interceptions. He has won over many doubters and his goals this season have added to his armour. Lee Grace is the perfect foil for Pico, again yesterday he made some crucial interventions when Dundalk threatened. He can and will continue to blossom. Local boy Seán Kavanagh has had a magnificent season and while he was less prominent yesterday, he still kept his neighbour Seán Gannon pretty much at arm’s length for the 70 minutes or so he was on the park. Kavo is different class.
Our captain Ronan Finn was incredible yesterday, his industry, honesty and ball carrying was top class. Again he has had some doubters among us as to his suitability as captain (I wasn’t one for the record) but I think those doubts are now well and truly buried. He led by example.
Aaron McEneff was another whose industry and work-rate was incredible yesterday. He was everywhere, box to box, side to side, keeping us on the front foot and showing nerves of steel to convert that 89th minute penalty that should’ve been the winner. He has been, as the song says, divine. Gary O’Neill I’ve reviewed above and next of course is Jack Byrne.
So much has been said and written about Jack and the big newspaper piece on Saturday gave us a real insight into his character and family. He was nothing short of superb yesterday, but hey, he’s been that all season. He just never stops moving into space to get on the ball, demanding it, controlling it, passing it (rarely for the sake of it) and Shields’ absence meant Jack would have a chance to really boss Dundalk’s midfield and by God he bossed it. He was my Man of the Match, it is a joy to have him at Rovers and it’d be great if we managed to keep him for some/all of next season. What a player.
Burkey always had the Dundalk defence on alert yesterday. He really worked his socks off and while not at his best in terms of his decisions a couple of times, his dropping off and keeping possession was crucial and we didn’t look as dangerous in extra time without him. Like Byrne, it’d be great if Burkey was to come back to us permanently and remain with this group. It was a great bit of business by the club to get him back on loan.
Aaron Greene really won over the fans this season despite his travails in front of goal so often. Again yesterday his pace and movement dragged Gartland into places he didn’t want and his determination to fashion that first half chance for Finn was the Aaron Greene we knew was there and his link up with Burkey for the penalty was just class. The burning question is would he have scored if Rodgers hadn’t fouled him….sorry, couldn’t resist that one Aaron…but like the rest of the team yesterday, a serious shift put in.
Neil Farrugia is certainly the future. While a few things didn’t work out for him, plenty also did, his close control and dazzling feet were a real worry for Gannon and I can’t wait to see him unleashed on the opposition next season. Serious talent. Greg Bolger as I said above had a key role in extra time and I really hope he stays on next season. His reaction when he scored his penalty showed how much he cares about this team.
Every one of those gladiators yesterday care about this team. They all get it. We’ve seen off too many greedy mercenaries in recent years but things are different now. That we have a group who “get” the club is a huge factor in making sure we ended that 32 year cup drought. Bradley deserves a lot of credit in getting not only good players in but good characters. We used to bemoan the dearth of leaders when we looked back on the Michael O’Neill era, but now we have a new team full of leaders. With character and skill you’ll go places. This team is going places and with the addition of Dermot Desmond’s capital, surely this club is again going places and that’s hugely exciting.
The fans yesterday were different class. When I walked up from the Luas stop at the Point and into Ringsend I could hear the singing from a few hundred yards away. It was electric. Rovers family was converging in a raucous, passionate and optimistic gathering and to see all the embracing, hand-shaking and camaraderie was just joyous. I never felt so confident about a match in years and we were taking on one of the finest LOI teams in its history. Even when Duffy scored that heartbreaking goal and as I slumped back in my seat in disbelief, as we started extra time I remained convinced we wouldn’t succumb or feel sorry for ourselves and that’s how it panned out as the lottery of penalties became more inevitable. We had Dundalk’s number all day and the penalty shootout only served to reinforce that. Now we have to build on it.
So that’s my day after recollection of how yesterday panned out. Despite having a fair few beers back in Tallaght and back in my home while rewatching the key moments of the match, I remember every detail about yesterday and last night. It was a real day to remember and I’ll remember it forever. As we all will.
See yiz next season folks. It’s been brilliant.
irelandfaneuro2012 