Derry City captain Michael Duffy has made it clear that winning the FAI Cup is the only objective for the club, dismissing the significance of European qualification after their semi-final triumph over Galway United.
Duffy scored both goals in the 2-0 victory at Eamonn Deacy Park to send his side through to the final. However, Bohemians’ 2-0 defeat by Waterford on Friday means there will no longer be an additional European place available via the league standings, a fact Duffy deemed irrelevant to his team’s mindset.
“You don’t look at a cup like ‘let’s win the cup for Europe,'” Duffy told BBC Sport NI. “It’s a cup, you want to win trophies and be successful here.”
He added that the team was encouraged to focus solely on reaching the final to win silverware, rather than worrying about the continental implications. “We said that before, forget about Europe and that result last night as it means nothing – just go and get to the final and try to win the cup,” he said.
The result secures Derry’s place in the final against Waterford on 8 November, where they will seek their seventh cup title and first since 2022. The campaign has been tumultuous, with interim manager Mark Connolly taking over in August following the dismissal of Tiernan Lynch. Since Connolly’s appointment, the club has avoided relegation fears and revitalized their playing style.
Duffy praised the impact of the former defender, noting that Connolly has liberated the squad to play with freedom and risk.
“He’s letting us play free-flowing football, encouraging all the defenders to try and play football as we’re all good players,” Duffy explained. “He wants us to take risks… Before matches he’s saying that if we lose the ball, that’s on him. He’s encouraging us so much and it’s so enjoyable to play in.”
Looking ahead to the final, Duffy described it as a “proud day” that would bring a buzz back to the town. He also expressed a personal desire to share the moment with his son when leading out his hometown club at the Aviva Stadium.
“Our games against Waterford this year have all been tough,” Duffy noted. “They are a hard team to play against so it will be a hard game, but we look forward to it now.”
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