Derry City FAI Cup 2012: Patterson double sinks St. Pat’s
The FAI Cup offered Derry City the opportunity to end a disappointing season on a massive high, with a place in the Europa League also up for grabs
Derry City 3-2 St Patrick's Athletic (November 4, 2012)
The FAI Cup offered Derry City the opportunity to end a disappointing season on a massive high, with a place in the Europa League also up for grabs.
Fans travelled to Dublin on Sunday, November 4, 2012 with hopes that the club could win its fifth FAI Cup but what transpired at the Aviva Stadium that day was a final every bit as dramatic and every bit as memorable as its predecessor just six years earlier.
Unbeknownst to the supporters, there was high drama in the Derry camp as the death of Gerard Doherty’s grandfather put a very real question mark over the goalkeeper’s availability for the final. Doherty attended the funeral in Derry on the morning of the final, and only a mad dash south ensured that he reached the Aviva stadium in time to be included.
Following a rather forgettable first period, the game exploded into life when Sean O’Connor scored a scintillating free kick just eight minutes into the second half. Within a minute however Derry City had equalised, as McNamee’s free kick was headed down and into the net by towering centre half Stewart Greacen.
Within minutes of the equaliser, Declan Devine brought striker Rory Patterson off the bench, a decision which would prove decisive. Ten minutes after Patterson’s arrival Stephen McLaughlin charged down an attempted clearance by St. Pat’s goalkeeper Brendan Clarke, who, in his attempts to make amends for his error, barged the midfielder to the ground. Referee Neil Doyle immediately awarded a penalty for Derry and when the dust had settled, Patterson stroked the ball beyond the goalkeeper to put the Candy Stripes into the lead for the first time.
Pat’s threw everything at Derry in an attempt to get back into the game, but Derry held firm at the back, that is, until three minutes from time, when Christy Fagan reacted quickest to Sean O’Connor’s cross, and the striker rifled the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-2 to take the game to extra time.
It was all to play for in the extra half hour but just seconds before half time in extra time, a punt upfield by Gerard Doherty was flicked on by a Pat’s player, who inadvertently put Patterson in on goal, and with Clarke already committed, the City striker simply sidestepped him and swept the ball coolly into the unguarded net to put Derry into a 3-2 lead.
Finally, after 123 minutes and 33 seconds of high drama, referee Doyle blew the final whistle to confirm Derry’s victory, with manager Declan Devine dropping to his knees in disbelief on the sidelines.
“Declan Devine summed it up when he went to his knees in the dug-out; the joy the relief, just that mix of emotions,” Stewart Greacen explained. “A cup final takes a lot out of you emotionally, even the build up to it the week before. As much as it was joy, it was just a relief that you’ve gone and won it after all that waiting.
With the victory, Devine had added himself to a select group of names; Jim McLaughlin, Felix Healy, Kevin Mahon and Stephen Kenny; men who had all tasted FAI Cup glory as managers of Derry City.
The City players and fans were jubilant as captain Kevin Deery lifted the famous old trophy in celebration, beginning a party that would last several days as the team made a successful return home to be greeted by thousands of fans in the Guildhall Square.