BIG MACS & TASTY PRIZE

McGonigle, McJannet and McEneff seal impressive City cup win

- PAUL O’HEHIR

DERRY CITY were both ruthless and relentless in their pursuit of FAI Cup final glory on an historic day at Aviva Stadium.

Jordan McEneff ’s injury time penalty was more than just the icing on the cake for the Candystripes who wiped the floor with their rivals.

It secured Derry’s place in the history books as the side with the biggest all-time winning margin in the final of this competition.

That McEneff started the season as a Shelbourne player – on loan from Arsenal – was just another hammer blow for Damien Duff, his players and their supporters to stomach.

They suffered repeated punches to the gut throughout a decider that was signed, sealed and delivered by halftime and never in doubt at any point.

Cameron McJannet was the Candystripes’ two-goal hero while Jamie McGonigle got them off to the perfect start inside 18 minutes with his fourth goal in five cup games this year.

All season, Shelbourne players have spoken about wanting to run through walls for Duff – but not here, not when they kept running into a formidable Derry one.

Stephen Bradley regularly points to the 2019 FAI Cup final win as the turning point in Shamrock Rovers’ fortunes as it gave the three-in-a-row champions a taste for success.