Declan Devine hoping to end Bohemians' trophy drought in tomorrow's FAI Cup final

FAI Cup Final
Bohemians vs. St. Patrick's Athletic
Sunday, 3pm
Aviva Stadium

Declan Devine is hoping that history will repeat itself this Sunday as he attempts to end Bohemians 13-year trophy drought in the FAI Cup final. 
Back in 2012, Devine led Derry City to FAI Cup success at the end of his first season in charge at the Brandywell, his team defeating St. Patrick's Athletic 3-2 after extra time, thanks to two goals from substitute Rory Patterson. 
Six years before that, Devine, as Stephen Kenny's number two, helped the Candystripes to a memorable 4-3 win, also over St. Pat's, in the last cup final ever played at the Old Landsdowne Road, a game that has since been voted the 'Greatest FAI Cup Final in history'.  
This Sunday, St. Pat's will again stand in Devine's way, and he is hoping, in what is his fifth final of his career, to bring the trophy home for a third time. 
"You work all your career to try and get to these occasions and you have to embrace it and enjoy it," he said. "I've been fortunate to have been involved in a lot of cup finals over the years and it's a special day. It comes an goes really quickly, so it's making sure you do what has got you into the team, you do what has got you a bit of success in playing at this club, and if you do that you can't look back with any regrets. Both teams will be looking at it and saying this is a really difficult game. Both teams are capable of winning the cup on Sunday. We don't have to talk about the likes pf Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon or Conor Carty and we know Mark Doyle; they are all good players, and we know they'll be telling their players the same. You have so many talented player and it's on the day, who performs the best."
Devine started his time at Dalymount brilliantly, taking Bohs to the top of the Premier Division in the early stages, but a poor second half of the campaign saw them finish in sixth place, and unless they win on Sunday, there will be no European football at Dalymount in 2024.
"There has been a lot of disappointment over recent weeks in terms of being in the top three or top four all year, and then to fall away in the last couple of games was disappointing," he acknowledged. "All we could do on Friday past was try and get a win and thankfully we got a convincing win here against Cork, so we go into it in a good place. We've had our setbacks over the year, but we've fought so hard to get to the FAI Cup final. We've had tough games away to Drogheda, home to Shels, away to Galway, tough games, and now that we are here we have to embrace it, but we can't look past the fact that we have to perform  and we have to give the best of ourselves and approach the game in a really strong mindset nd know that no matter what numbers in the stand or what decisions are going for us or against us, that we dig in and make sure we play to our levels." 

Long wait
Devine was there when Bohs last won the FAI Cup back in 2008 on a controversial day at the RDS, and he can't quite believe that the Gypsies have not lifted the trophy since.
"The league position is one thing that will hurt, but there are a lot of positives," he continued. "It's a new group, 14 players out, 16 players in, moving from part-time to full-time and it's the first time the backroom staff have ever worked together, so there a lot of positives and we want to finish it off well. It's been 15 years since there's been a trophy in this stadium. It's only the second FAI cup final in those 15 years. I was in the opposing dug-out in 2008 when Bohs beat Derry on penalties, and if you had told me in 2008 that Bohs wouldn't have a load of trophies in the coming years, I would have absolutely laughed it off because of the talent they had. We're now in a position where we're one game away from doing something that hasn't been done in 15 years and if we can do that we can look back on the season as a huge success." 
Devine can join an elite list of managers who have won the FAI Cup with two different clubs this weekend, but for him, putting Bohs back on the map is most important.
"I think it will be a very exciting cup final," he said. "Both teams go after goals and both teams play the right way and try and attack. There is a lot of quality on display on Sunday and we hope we can come out on top. 
"I think a club this size should be expectant. The target for this club has got to be winning trophies and making sure that a new generation of fans are coming through and sees the potential of the club. The place has been bouncing this year, but there is a generation who hasn't seen success or the history that's on the walls of the club. We're in a privileged position, but there are no guarantees of the trophy just being handed over, we've got to earn the right and we have to make sure we do everything on our power to give people a lasting memory."