Tiernan Lynch has 'fire in the belly' for FAI Cup success with Derry City
TIERAN Lynch insists there will be 'no shortcuts' in Derry City's preparations for a tricky FAI Cup second round tie against Treaty United, claiming there's a 'real fire in the belly' to go all the way in the competition.
The Brandywell boss expects a difficult test against fourth placed First Division outfit Treaty who will host Derry at Market's Field in Limerick intent on taking the scalp of the six-times FAI cup winners.
Lynch is fully aware of Derry's rich history in the competition and with the winners guaranteed in the region of €700,000 Uefa prizemoney for qualification to the Europa League, it's a real incentive for the Candy Stripes.
The Belfast man twice lifted the Irish Cup as part of the coaching set-up at Glentoran in 2013 and 2015 and was runners-up with Larne in 2021. And while he's taking nothing for granted, he isn't afraid to admit reaching the final of the FAI Cup in his first season would be something he would love to achieve.
"I think the big thing is that the cup is something over the last number of years that Derry have gone to the finals of," said Lynch.
"They brought 22,000 fans down to the Aviva last year and it's a brilliant day out for the fans if you're fortunate enough to get to a final.
"I know how much disappointment there was at the club that they didn't actually get it over the line last year. There's a real fire in the belly and it's something we would really love to do well in.
"It also has the European goal at the end of it but it's an historic trophy and the opportunity to try and get that bit of success back to the club. The European position would also be massive for us and something we would love to do."
Derry last met Treaty in the semi-finals of the competition back in 2022, prevailing 2-1 at Brandywell before going on to lift the cup with a one-side 4-0 demolition of Shelbourne.
Lynch insists his team will leave no stone unturned when preparing for the match to be played between July 18th-20th next.
"Obviously every cup run is all about the draw, getting good draws and they can be very, very difficult. Treaty will be a very difficult game. They're a team doing quite well this season and they will be relishing an opportunity to get a crack at one of the bigger boys.”
"That's something that when you go into those games which we've done many times before you have to have the right attitude and right mentality and if you have that and keep the bigger prize in sight then hopefully you should be okay.
"You look at the run the boys were on last year to get to the final, albeit they were very disappointed in the end not to go on and win it with the run they had to get them there.
"It was a kick in the teeth for them but if you're going to get to the final and if you're going to win these types of trophies, nine times out of 10 it's never easy.
"You have to beat what's in front of you and that's our mentality going into the Treaty game.
"They will get the same respect as Rovers and Pats and all the other big clubs get.
"There will be no shortcuts from our end. We'll do everything in our power to make sure we go in there well equipped, well briefed and in order to make sure we win the game."
The cup runs to two finals in the last three years served to galvanise the Derry fanbase and Lynch is acutely aware of the 'prestige' which comes with the competition first established in 1922 and wants to continue the club's rich tradition.
"That's massive. Ruaidhri [Higgins] had a good run. He won it one year and got to the final in his last year. I think the club, it's something they're used to and thrive on.
"That opportunity to bring 20,000 odd fans down to the Aviva is something we definitely have to be talking to the players about as we go into the Treaty game.
"I was very fortunate to win two of the Irish Cup finals with Glentoran and then we got beat in the final by Linfield at Larne.
"I think the Irish Cup final is a slightly smaller scale than when you go to the Aviva and there's 40 or 50,000 fans at it.
"I think the big thing is the prestige that comes with it. The prestige of getting to the final. The prestige of playing at the Aviva. The prestige of having the whole city behind you and then obviously that carrot of Europe at the end of it is just massive."