EA Sports Cup 2012 Winners - Drogheda United

They are the team that have come from nowhere, reviving their careers in a club that nearly died, playing under a manager who has spent 30 years in the shadows.
Yet together, they have rehabilitated themselves, ignoring the reality of having the second smallest budget in the Premier Division to become challengers for the title, and on Saturday, winners of the EA Sports Cup.
And therein lies the beauty of Irish soccer -- nothing is inevitable. And any team with belief and a missionary-type manager like Mick Cooke, who has the persuasive powers to convert his congregation into zealous followers, has a chance. On Saturday, chance became a reality as Drogheda United won just the sixth major trophy in their history.
"The only winners' medal that I had in my own career was with Shamrock Rovers in the black and white days," said Cooke, who at 61, is the oldest manager in the League of Ireland. "I've had a long innings, but it's worth it for this. This is a special group of players. They are in it together." And it showed here. Whereas Shamrock Rovers played to no set pattern, Drogheda were organised, passionate and, when necessary, ruthless, winning the game via goals from Declan O'Brien, Eric Foley and Kerrea Gilbert's own goal.
"Drogheda fought for one another," said Rovers' new director of football Brian Laws. "But my team are not playing as a team. Their confidence is shot to bits. That has to be addressed. I've a lot of hard work up ahead."
Hard work has become Drogheda's byword; from pre-season training when they lifted tractor tyres and ran up and down sand dunes, they have reached a level of fitness previously unimaginable among part-timers.
And O'Brien, their talisman from their golden era, is back at the club and back among the goals, getting his 17th of the season here. "At 31, people were saying I was finished. That kind of thing spurs you on, probably a fear of failure from hearing people say 'that's it for him, he's not going to win anything else'. Well, I have."
And in doing so, he has completed his set of medals with the club, adding the League Cup to his FAI Cup, two Setanta Cups and 2007 league title.
Rovers, meanwhile, are left to reflect on a season that promised so much but has delivered so little.
Shamrock Rovers: Oscar Jansson, Kerrea Gilbert, Craig Sives, Colin Hawkins, Conor Powell; Gary McCabe (Billy Dennehy, 60 mins), Ronan Finn, Stephen Rice, Killian Brennan; Thomas Stewart (Daryl Kavanagh, 60), Ciaran Kilduff (Gary Twigg, 65)


Drogheda United: Gabriel Sava, Brian Gannon, Derek Prendergast, Alan McNally, Philip Hand; Ryan Brennan, Gavin Brennan, Paul Crowley, Eric Foley; Declan O'Brien (Sean Brennan, 92 mins), Peter Hynes (Tiernan Mulvenna, 89).
Ref -- T Connolly (Dublin).
Irish Independent Report

[@fc.trabzonspor1759]

You never walk alone. Best wishes from a Trabzonspor Fan.

[@chelseaboy2001]

Only team I like except my own (Sligo) Glad to see ye back in the hunt for trophies!

[@fc.trabzonspor1759]

BROTHERSSSSSSSSSSS FROM TRABZON - TURKEY

[@Emerica61]

TRABZONSPOR & DROGHEDA TILL DEATH!!!

[@gtkprdehiwgtkprdehiw]

Get goosebumps watching this one. 2012 was our best season ever by far. Never mind moneybags doolin nearly taking us down. Mick Cooke put together a fired-up team of talented players that produced the finest soccer I've ever seen along with silverware and a fantastic season

[@cillbot92]

Mad to think a few years before you couldn't get a ticket into united park and that day couldn't even sell half a stand in tallaght

[@TheMicollman]

WOOH!

[@DowneyEIRE]

Moneybags Doolin...Oh god if only you knew