Doing the Fandango and dancing the Macarena - Derry City's got it covered
AS IF Mark Connolly didn’t have enough on his plate preparing for the FAI Cup Final, but now the Derry City boss has another challenge to negotiate - mastering the 'Macarena'.
Forget tactical masterclasses or finding ways to stop Waterford’s Tommy Lonergan, the Monaghan man has been cramming YouTube tutorials in a desperate bid to avoid being caught flat-footed should he be called out by Derry primary school pupils to show off his moves.
Derry City players have been drumming up support for next month's Aviva showpiece by visiting primary schools across the city - a tour which has proven to be both entertaining and heart-warming.
Fleet-footed first team coach Niall McGinn and defender Christy Grogan were coaxed into performing the Macarena at St Anne's PS on Thursday while Liam Boyce and Gavin Whyte did the 'Fandango' with pupils at Greenhaw PS.
From doing the Moonwalk to the Pigeon dance, Derry players and coaches have certainly moved out of their comfort zones and are enjoying the craic as cup final fever sweeps the city.
City boss Connolly who visited his two children's school in Hollybush on Friday, felt a quick crash course in the Macarena seemed a sensible precaution in the event he's thrust into the spotlight when the music starts.
"I'll be honest, I was a wee bit nervous," laughed Connolly. "I was in to my kids' school today in Hollybush in case they asked me to do the Macarena. I don't know it," he laughed. "I was sitting there this morning trying to watch it on YouTube in case I might get called out."
Connolly, who won the FAI Cup with Derry as a player back in 2022, is loving the excitement growing around the city and insists he's 'so proud' of the efforts of everyone involved.
"Naw, you know what, it's been amazing. My sister, my mother and everyone from Clones are texting me the videos of how good they are and it's exactly what this club is all about.
"See all the stuff that's come at us. This is what the club is about. It's a community, it's a togetherness. We're really passionate. When we're high we're high and when we're low we're low but this is exactly what I feel about Derry City - those kids today, the teachers, the parents spending all the money to go and get this jersey and that jersey. It's really not cheap and I'm just so proud of everyone.
"I'm so proud to live in this city and so proud of everyone that's putting this together."
It's a new experience for most of the current City squad with just four survivors from the 2024 cup final squad - Brian Maher, Michael Duffy, Adam O'Reilly and Cameron Dummigan.
For the rest, particularly the English players, it's been an eye-opener.
"The players, especially the new ones are going around the schools and seeing what Derry City is all about. What an amazing city. What a passionate city. Looking at all the videos, I'm sitting waiting for the next video to come up to see who's doing the next dance or who's doing whatever.
"The boys are now seeing that this club is a monster. This is an amazing club, this city is amazing, and thank you to all the people who are showing that.
"Now these new players, I've been saying to them 'wait until you see', and now they're coming in and going 'wow', Wait until November 8th and they'll see something else as well. It's amazing."