Heartbreak and Hope

Heartbreak and hope mixed at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday as Waterford FC fell to the narrowest defeat against Derry in the cup final. The dream is over or maybe it’s just delayed. The pain is real after coming so close to glory, but the Blues feel on the cusp of something huge. There were too many green shoots for this to feel as devastating as previous cup final losses or playoff relegations. One thing that has been proven beyond doubt over the years is that Waterford people are resilient. We’ll bounce back from this and make it better.

The whole month since the unforgettable semi-final win at Dalymount Park has been a whirlwind of joy and excitement and real pride in our football club. In my forty years of following the Blues, I have never seen anything approaching the level of goodwill and belief in the club that is here right now. There was an immediate rush for tickets, then transport, cup final jersey sales, new flags being printed to represent every corner of the county. Then, there was the successful end to the league season with three crucial wins against Galway, Drogheda and Shelbourne as perfect preparation for the final. 

The excitement was everywhere to be seen all week from the fan event at the Reg on Monday where a deafening roar went up when it was announced that manager Graham Coughlan had signed a new two-year deal to build on what he has begun. There was the WLR outside broadcast at the club shop on Tuesday and their excellent coverage all week. Next, there were hundreds of fans at Carriganore on Saturday afternoon to wave the team bus off as it left for Dublin in a fever of flags, songs and blue smoke. 

 

 

Matchday morning eventually came around and every bus driver in the region was on duty with an incredible travelling contingent. Plunkett Station was a sea of blue for the special trains while flights from the UK were genuinely packed with people coming to support Waterford in the final. I was on a 9.30 bus from Norris’s Bar and chatted with friends who I’ve stood with at games for many years. We stopped at the Horse Show House in Ballsbridge and met hundreds of fans including those who travelled from Fleetwood, Glasgow, Denmark and Poland to be with us on the day. The atmosphere was truly incredible as we walked to the stadium and saw thousands of fans in blue with hope in their hearts.

It still didn’t feel fully real watching the players warming up on the pitch. It felt as if I was there to watch Ireland play an international game like most of my visits to Lansdowne Road, but here were my Blues preparing to play in front of 36,000 people. So, I watched them all including Waterford teenagers Noah O’Brien and Igor Bacela – what an experience for those two being part of a cup final squad.

The match was a cagey affair with both defences coming out on top for most of the game. Former Blue Patrick McClean earned the Man of the Match award and there were highlights of real defensive brilliance from Kevin Long, Benny Couto, Hayden Cann and, especially, John Mahon on Waterford’s side. There were more half-chances than clearcut opportunities for both teams with Couto’s free hitting the crossbar, Lonergan heading over and Noonan’s near-post effort saved. One fantastic finish made the difference and the Blues couldn’t quite conjure up one to match.

There’s no nice way to lose, but this one was certainly less cruel than the refereeing travesty of 2004 and not an anticlimax like the 1986 final when we were two down inside thirteen minutes and never got going. The Blues gave as good as they got this time and just came up a little short. As disappointing as it is – and the forty-year wait for European football is brutal – this feels more like the start of something than the end. We have the core of a very strong team, the right man in charge, and the club is set up (on and off the field) to succeed. The players made us proud on Sunday and we believe in them. It didn’t quite happen for us this time, but it feels like it will soon.