The recent features looking back to the 1988/89 season were exceedingly well received, and we hope to continue the theme with a regular series of “On This Day”, looking back at Derry’s history in the League of Ireland. For the first of the series, we cast our mind back to the 8th of March 1994, when Derry lifted the League Cup trophy, a competition which they have dominated since entering the League
City won the League Cup for the first time in that famous 1988/89 season and had lifted the trophy on three occasions by the time the 1994 final rolled around. As is the want with the League of Ireland, the format had been tinkered with and the final was now a two-legged affair, with the first leg in the Brandywell the previous Wednesday before the return fixture in Tolka Park .
In the first leg City hit the front early when Kevin McKeever beat the offside trap from a pre-rehearsed free and fired home from the penalty area. Shels were no amused a wave of protests saw the visitors receive yellow cards for their protestations. City doubled their advantage in the second half when Hutton latched onto a though ball from Coyle and beat Byrne from the edge of the box.
In classic League of Ireland fashion, the two sides had also met in a League game at the Brandywell on the Saturday. This was the usual tense encounter between the two sides with six booked and Ken O’Doherty of Shels sent off for an off the ball incident. The 0-0 draw certainly sharpened the tempers for the second leg of the League Cup to follow.
“Tony Doc” was the City manager at the time, having taken over the club in October 1993, replacing Roy Coyle and whilst had moulded his City side into a tough to beat, dragging the team away from the bottom of the table. For those too young to remember, this was the era of the “Top 6/Bottom 6″ split and City went on a dramatic run to sneak into the top half of the table. Indeed the side were unbeaten in 14 games coming into the second leg of the final and were to extend that record at Tolka.
City with their two goal advantage were strong favourites to lift the trophy and indeed many Shelbourne followers did not bother showing up for the second leg. A decent City travelling supporter made the trip to Tolka on the Tuesday night to see if Tony Doc could finish off the job and see the team lift the trophy.
Shels, with nothing to lose, with immediately on the front foot and forced a series of corners and dangerous free kicks. The vastly experience City rearguard were not flustered and cleared the danger without too much trouble. Indeed Shelbourne’s all out attack nearly cost them, as City looked to hit them on the breakaway.
Byrne did well to deny Hutton and Lawless, whilst Mick Neville headed away Liam Coyle’s effort when his keeper was beaten. However it was clear that there were goals in the game and it was no surprise that it was that man Coyle who did the damage. Latching onto a weak throw from Dunne, he dropped the shoulder, ghosted by Byrne and walked the ball into the net.
However such were the exertions of the goal that Liam pulled a hamstring in the act of scoring and was promptly replaced by John Sayers.
Shels hit ball when Costello fired home early in the second half and the game was briefly back in the melting point. With an attacking set up for the home sides, there were chances a plenty as Shels drove forward and City counter attacked. Dermot O’Neill did well to tip a header onto the bar. However City should have wrapped it up but O’Brien opted to shoot when he should have played in Lawless who was free. It was to be City’s night and on the final whistle, a pitch invasion saw Tony Doc hoisted on the shoulders of the supporters and carried around the pitch. The players may have been the on field heros and Paul Curran recevied the adulation when he lifted the trophy, but Tony Doc was the mastermind who turned the season around.
Indeed City were to go all the way to the FAI Cup Final that year, but that is another story for another day.
Derry Team: O’Neill, Vaudequin, Curran, Gauld, McLaughlin, Hutton, McKeever, O’Brien, Kinnaird, Lawless, Coyle
Subs: John Sayers for Coyle
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