Morrissey and O'Connor look Forward to Cup Final

For Cork City FC, Sunday afternoon’s FAI Cup Final is the perfect opportunity to pick up a trophy to showcase the progress the club has made in the past number of years.

Under John Caulfield’s reign, City have improved each and every year. They have been the side who have pushed Dundalk all of the way and have forced them to raise their standards.

This year in particular has seen Cork at their best ever under Caulfield and when one closely examines both the squads of the Leesiders and Dundalk, there is very little to separate both.

The one thing that currently distinguishes them though is trophies, with Dundalk claiming all of the trophies and plaudits over the past three seasons. 

Given that City in the 2016 season alone have already beaten Dundalk on 3 occasions, there is a real determination among the City players to finally get a trophy on the board to signal the positive direction the club has been going in.

For midfielder Gearóid Morrissey, a consistent performer, who is used to big occasions and who made his debut during his time at Cambridge United against Manchester United at Old Trafford, the motivation levels are high to bring some silverware back to Leeside.

“We have been constantly improving every season and working so hard. Every season has been getting better and better and to be coming away without any silverware , even though we are improving overall, it is a bit of a sickener, because there is very little between us and  we have nothing to show for it,” Morrissey said.

“Not that we need any, but it gives us that little bit of extra incentive for Sunday. We really have the desire and hunger I feel to give 110% on the pitch and leave everything out there.

“To be fair, Dundalk deserve their credit they are getting. They have been doing really well in Europe. But, so have we at City and every season we have been pushing them at the top.

“We have just not got the rub of the green I suppose and those big games could have gone either way between us.  Taking that fact into Sunday, we will be really up for it,” added the man who began his career at Ringmahon Rangers.

This season has been quite the memorable one already for Kevin O’Connor, who has shown why he is one of the most talented young players in the league.

O’Connor, who has been rewarded with a call up to the Ireland U21’s recently, anticipates another big battle with Dundalk on Sunday.  

“An early goal in the game would be massive for either side, but  listen we won’t be getting too carried away either way," O'Connor said.

“It’s a 90 minute game, there could be extra time and even penalties.  I feel it’s going to go the distance.  I can’t see either side running away with it, because there is two great teams out there.”

There is not long to wait now until one of the biggest days in domestic Irish football is upon us. With two of the sides who have been the standard bearers in the last few years facing off in the Aviva Stadium, it should be a brilliant advert for the League of Ireland as a whole.