FAI Cup journey has reconnected Derry City fanbase says Mark Connolly
MARK Connolly pinpointed Derry City's emotional semi-final celebrations at Eamonn Deacy Park as the decisive moment when the Brandywell club reconnected with its fanbase.
Derry's interim boss identified those colourful scenes at the final whistle in Galway after a 2-0 victory over the Tribesmen as the 'turning point' in a long-suffering season for players, staff and supporters.
Connolly instructed the players to stand in front of the 500 strong travelling fans to soak up the applause - a memorable moment when he finally felt 'we're back'!
"I think that [connection with the fans] was kind of pushing away," said Connolly who is relishing the thought of more than 20,000 Derry fans making their way back to Aviva Stadium on Sunday, "Not just this year. At times last year it was going away from what we're about.
"I think the Galway one, probably the semi-final was the turning point for me. The fans that went down. Once that final whistle went and we stood over in that corner. That's when I thought, 'we're back!'
"I think this city is about being together, I think this club is about being together through good times and bad times. When it's good, it's good. When it's bad you're going to be told which is fine.
"But I think the players are now showing it means everything to them. It means everything to the city; the school visits they're doing, every single one of them is buying into it.
"I can set out a few things and try to pull people together but at the end of the day it's down to the players and they've done that. "They've really come together and it's natural. There's nothing fake in it. They're all good lads, good people pulling together and wanting to do well for the football club and for the city.
"They've shown that in games but also when going around the schools. They've loved it as much as the kids have."
Sunday will be Connolly's third FAI Cup Final and his first in the dugout but he reckons this one must be cherished.
"I'm looking forward to it. This season as a whole, taking away all the other times I've been at the Aviva, has been a difficult one. It's been one where there have been a lot of expectations from inside, a lot of expectations from the outside. We didn't reach them. It's been a tough year.
"The players have struggled. The staff have struggled. The fans have struggled and I believe that we've turned it around. I really believe we've changed that. I don't think a lot of people expected us to be going to the Aviva on Sunday probably midway through the season.
"The smiles on the kids' faces, it's been incredible. It's been special, just the city itself, how happy people have been. It's been an amazing few weeks. It's been a tough year, but it's changing. The club is changing and we're going in the right direction.
"My aim now, the players' aim, and certainly the fans' aim, is that we're going to enjoy this week.
"We're going to go out and enjoy every second of it on Sunday and fingers crossed we can bring the trophy home."