'Making fans happy is what it's all about' - Derry assistant Paul Hegarty

Paul Hegarty believes that the Derry City players will have to look inside themselves and ask just what is motivating them ahead of this Sunday’s FAI Cup final.

The former City midfielder knows a thing or two about cup finals having been part of the treble-winning team of 1989.

Hegarty made a career out of making his mark in midfield and has since continued his love of the game in the dug-out since his retirement from playing, serving as manager, assistant manager and coach. No matter where his career has taken him, he has inexorably been drawn back to Derry City and he will now play a part in what could potentially be the club’s seventh FAI Cup success in 2024.

“It's a massive day,” he agreed. “Derry were down there 2 years ago, with 25,000 supporters. No matter what anybody thinks, and I've said it before, players in this country, they're not going to earn a massive amount of money, so what's your motivation for playing? Mine has always been, all my life, seeing the amount of joy that you can bring to families that are probably struggling in their day-to-day lives, probably like ourselves. But if you can bring that bit of happiness in, just to their family, for one day, I think that's a massive thing to do for anybody.”

Hegarty knows well the feeling of disappointment amongst the fans in recent weeks, as the title slipped from Derry City’s grasp.

“As I said before, things happen for a reason,” he continued. “I go back to the Friday before the game, where people said, this is where we lost the league, or whatever. If we had won that match comfortably, I don't think anybody could have complained, but the fact remains, you need luck in this game.

“It was a bad goal we gave away, but we didn't get any luck on the night. Did that cost us the league? It certainly didn't, in my opinion. We played a lot worse and won matches, and we'll do so again.

"But that's part and parcel of football. You dust yourself down, you go again. As regards this match on Sunday, I don't care what anybody says, for me it's always about supporters, bringing a bit of joy to everybody's lives. You can be part of that. I think that's as good as winning anything.”

Derry City can still end the season with an FAI Cup and European qualification, but Hegarty is not hiding from the fact that the club missed out on a huge opportunity this year.

“I still believe that we have underachieved this year with regards the league,” he stated. “We should have been really putting down a marker this year. We didn't. For one reason or another, we haven't. You have to hold your hands up. We weren't good enough over the season. We're moving on now to a cup final. As the boys keep saying, there's only two trophies to win.

“This is the one that's left now. You have an opportunity. You're playing against a Drogheda team that will be well ready for the cup final as well. If we're at it on the day, I have no doubt that we'll win the cup.

VOCAL ... Paul Hegarty returned to the Derry City dug-out this season. (Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile)

"If we're up and at it, there's going to be difficult moments in the game. But I think the quality that we have, and the run that we've had to come through to get to the final, I think those tests and days will stand you in good stead. But look, it is what it is. Whatever happens on the day, we'll see in Sunday.”

Hegarty, who has worked under Stephen Kenny and Declan Devine as assistant manager at Derry City, is at the end of his first season working with Ruaidhri Higgins, and is hoping to be back in the dug-out again in 2025.

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“I suppose it's been good,” he reflected. “You learn off one another and stuff like that. I've known Ruaidhri a long time, and I've got the utmost respect for him. It's been tough at times than that, but people talk away about pressure and whatnot, but do you feel a heap of pressure? I don't feel any pressure.

"The only pressure that I think is yourself trying to make the team better and stuff like that. What can you do to make the team better? Not the pressure of results or anything else, or outside noise or anything like that. I think it's just the pressure. If you have a pride in something, it's the pressure you put yourself under.”