Donal O’Brien is hopeful of remaining as Cockhill Celtic manager for their third round FAI Senior Cup cup game after a history making 3-0 win over Dublin side St Mochta’s at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds on Sunday.

The club have already begun the process of replacing the Dubliner, following his decision to step down at the end of the Ulster Senior League season.

But having successfully guided them through the first two rounds of the country’s premier cup competition, he admitted he would relish what will be one of the biggest ever ties for an Inishowen club.

“It’s a great result and I’m delighted for the boys that they’re in the third round,” he told the Inish Times after Sunday’s game. “That’s another milestone for us to reach the last 16 of the FAI Cup and it’s another bit of history for the boys.

“I’d like to take the team into the next round of the cup obviously but I’m happy to do whatever is right for the club.

“The boys will take a break for a week or so and it might be an opportunity for the new manager to come in for that game if he has been appointed.”

Sunday’s win was all the sweeter for Cockhill as St Mochta’s ended their participation in the FAI Intermediate Cup in both of the last two seasons.

With several key players missing, even the most optimistic of their supporters would have admitted they were significant underdogs on Sunday, but O’Brien took satisfaction with the manner that those who were available went about the task.

“To be honest, after losing twice to them and after they got to the semi-finals of the FAI Intermediate Cup, I thought we were going to be up against it today but it shows that if you play with the right approach and hunger anything is possible,” he noted.

“I felt we deserved it over the 90 minutes, St Mochta’s played well in patches but I thought some of our football was excellent and our workrate was unbelievable.

“We’re carrying a lot of injuries, we had six players out who could have started today and then two away.

“When you have young boys coming in and players playing out of position and you play against a team of that standard and beat them 3-0 it shows you that there’s a lot more to this club than individuals. All the players have a pride and a belief in their play and that’s what got them through today.”

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