Pete Mahon is a realist. Normally. But he allows destiny to take over and fate to play its part when it comes to the FAI Cup. According to the 63-yearold St Patrick’s Athletic manager, this year’s winners have already been decided.
It’s just a matter of allowing the drama to play out until the final whistle sounds at the Aviva Stadium in next month’s final.
Mahon reckons everything happens in this competition for a reason and he hopes that a route to face Sligo Rovers in the decider is set out for St Pat’s today when they take on Shamrock Rovers in the second semi-final. It is 49 years since the Saints last won the Cup and it’s the one trophy their supporters crave more than any other – something of which Mahon is only too well aware. Thus, he’s keen to deliver.
‘I come from the old school way of thinking with the FAI Cup. I remember in the 1960s and 70s when it was considered even more important than the league,’ he explains.
‘It might sound odd, but someone’s name is on it [the Cup]. It was Bohs two years ago and (Sporting) Fingal last year. Hopefully, this year it’s St Pat’s name that’s on there.
‘One thing certain is that if we do make it to the final it will be on merit. We probably got the toughest draw to start with when we got Dundalk but we got through that. Then it was Belgrove and holders Fingal.
‘We now have a huge hurdle in our way to reach the final.
We have done better than last year when the club reached the quarterfinals, but we want to get to the final where we hope our name’s on the Cup.’
Twenty years ago, Mahon stitched his name into the competition’s rich tapestry by leading non-league St Francis to the final where they were to lose to Bray Wanderers.
He’s been reminded of that feat every year since then when the FAI Cup tops the agenda, but Mahon, who also managed UCD and Bohemians, prefers not to dwell on the past. He wants a final with St Pat’s to look forward to.
‘The St Francis final is dead and buried now. I’ve moved on from that, just like St Pat’s have had to move on from being so unlucky in finals over the last few years.
‘We have to forget about all of that and prepare as best we can for this semi-final as Rovers will be baying for blood after their recent league results. I would expect them to dust themselves down and be ready for this.
‘There hasn’t been much between us in our games this season, but you would have to say that Rovers are favourites for this game as they are above us in the league and have had an excellent season.
‘But anything can happen in this Cup. I brought a team to the first final at Lansdowne Road and this year’s final will be at the new Aviva Stadium – so maybe it is written [in the stars].’
Much, though, will likely depend on the form for star striker Ryan Guy, one of the stand-out performers this season for the Inchicore outfit. The American has scored nine goals and is key to Pats’ hopes of reaching a 10th FAI Cup final.
It would be the ideal way to finish what has been a hugely positive season for Pat’s, according to Guy.
‘Definitely, this is our last glimmer of hope to make sure that such a long season has not been unfulfilling; we’ve done so well for so long.
‘Winning the Cup would be the perfect way to end the year and we almost feel that we have a duty to bring something home to the fans as they have waited so long to see it.
‘They’ve had their share of disappointment through the years and it’s probably their turn for the luck to change, but we know that is dependent on us putting in a big performance.
‘We don’t have a big squad, which has been shown recently by losing some players to injury. And even in what we have, probably a third are 21 or under, so we’ve done pretty well.
‘But we don’t want to end the year empty-handed, especially after losing in the Setanta Sports Cup. It would be great to reach this final. We’ll be doing all that we can to make that happen.’