More than just a passing Meath interest as Drogs aim for cup glory

DAVID SHEEHAN

First, a confession. I didn’t grow up a League of Ireland fan. In fact, up until about eight years ago – around the time I started covering Drogheda United games for LMFM Radio – I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the make-up of the Premier Division, who the reigning champions were, or name more than a couple of players in the league.

I grew up an ardent Meath GAA and Arsenal fan, with the domestic league really not crossing my radar. I’ve a vague memory of watching the 1989 FAI Cup final replay at a gloriously sunny Dalymount Park on television, but outside of that, it didn’t register at all.

Like any sport though, when you’re exposed to it on a weekly basis, and when you get to know the players, managers, characters behind the scenes, the people for whom a particular club is their life, it’s hard not to develop a grá.

For those of you not familiar with Drogheda United, they return to the Aviva Stadium on Sunday for their first FAI Cup final in 11 years, and only the fifth in their history. For context, Shamrock Rovers have played in 35 finals, Bohs 16, Sligo Rovers 11.

The Boynesiders won their only FAI Cup in 2005, and two years later claimed their sole league title. Hard times then followed, and the club bounced between the Premier and First Division for much of the next decade – losing that cup final to Sligo in 2013 along the way.

The Drogs gained promotion under Trim’s Tim Clancy in 2020 and have defied many people’s expectations by staying up every season since. First under Clancy, then under his erstwhile assistant Kevin Doherty, who took over as manager before the 2022 season.

This season saw the club undergo a change of ownership, with the Trivela Group – who also hold a majority stake in English League Two side Walsall – taking control and bringing some much-needed financial stability to the table.

That change has also impacted the first team, with Ratoath’s Evan Weir departing for the Saddlers in the summer, and Douglas James-Taylor going the other direction on loan. The striker has been a revelation – scoring 12 times in 18 games since coming to the club.

When I first started covering Drogheda’s games, they were in the First Division and the crowds at the home games were generally in the low hundreds on gameday. Now, Weavers Park is rocking every week – sometimes literally – and there is a real feeling of optimism and vibrancy around the club.

Trivela have outlined ambitious plans for a badly needed new stadium, and the team has turned their form around in spectacular fashion in the second half of the season, playing some great football and going toe-to-toe with the best teams in the division.

Given that I’m a relatively recent convert to all things LOI, I wouldn’t be as hypocritical as to ram it down people’s throats in terms of encouraging friends to attend. I have mentioned it to one or two friends, and the response was quite similar. “I wouldn’t have ever thought about going to a game.”

It’s not that they would be anti-League of Ireland, but I suspect a large part of it is that, even though Drogheda United would be the closest LOI team for residents of Navan and the surrounding areas, it’s in another county.

I feel as though we – as Irish people and particularly those of us with a strong GAA background – often tend not to look outside our own county for our sporting interests. Of course, that is not true of everyone, and we can’t ignore the poor facilities as another explanation as to why it’s hard to attract new fans to League of Ireland grounds.

Drogheda United, like all clubs, is keen to cast the net for support as wide as possible, so perhaps if you’re reading this, you might consider making the trip to the Windmill Road next season – if you can get a ticket that is! Most games across the league have sold out in 2024, which is another sign of the increased interest.

I’ve been lucky enough to work at several FAI Cup Finals in recent years, presenting LMFM Sunday Sport from the Aviva before handing over to the excellent Adrian Taaffe and John Flanagan for commentary as Dundalk did battle with Cork City and Shamrock Rovers.

This time around, myself and the insightful former Drogheda United captain Paul Crowley will be calling the action, and it’s something I’m really looking forward to. While we grumble from time to time, all of us in the sports media realise how lucky we are to have access to games like this, and to the players and staff who make it all happen.

So, now that you’re all firmly on board the Drogheda United bandwagon, what can we expect from the final?

The Drogs certainly won’t have anything to fear from Derry City, having beaten them 2-1 just over a month ago.

Keep an eye out for James-Taylor and his strike partner – Haitian international Frantz Pierrot. Those two have formed a formidable partnership since the former’s arrival.

For local interest, Andrew Quinn from Dunshaughlin has been an unsung hero on the right side of a back three, Bellewstown's Luke Heeney will cover every blade of grass from his central midfield berth, while Ratoath’s dynamic Aaron McNally will aim to make an impact off the bench as he has done on several occasions in an injury-hit season.

Derry for their part are coming into this game off a very disappointing end to the league season – going from league contenders to fourth place in the space of a few weeks. They now find themselves having to win the cup to guarantee European football next season – something that would have been unthinkable a month ago.

It's worth noting also that this won’t be Drogheda’s last game of the 2024 campaign, as they have a relegation/promotion play-off against Bray Wanderers to come on Saturday week. The winner will take their place in the Premier Division next season, while the loser will be consigned to the second tier.

But all eyes for now are on the cup final. It promises to be a magnificent occasion. Let’s hope the cup is spending the winter on the banks of the Boyne.