| Purpose-built stadium is a top priority
for Drogs
By Paul Buttner
Ambitious Drogheda United are confident their recent FAI Carlsberg Cup
final win can help fast-track their plans for a new purpose-built stadium.
Their Rudyard Kipling quoting-chairman Vincent Hoey shed tears of joy
after watching his beloved Drogs beat Cork City 2-0 before a crowd of 25,000
at Lansdowne Road last Sunday week — a victory that saw them winning their
first senior trophy in the club’s 86-year history.
“It was Kipling who said: ‘you do not tire of waiting’ and we didn’t
tire,” said Hoey. “But, when you wait so long for something, it’s all the
sweeter when you get it.”
“It’s momentous; it’s indescribable in a sense. I’m just sailing along
with it at the moment,” added Hoey as he took the cup around the houses
of the Co. Louth town.
“I have always said I can deal with failing. I’ve no problem with dealing
with adversity but it’s success that’s hard to handle. I’m just floating
with it. This is a victory for everybody in Drogheda and those that have
been associated with the club over the years. We’re involved in a programme
to build this club up to take on the best in football. In fact this success
has come a little bit earlier than we thought.”
On the culmination of what has been a great season for the Drogs, Hoey
said: “It’s been a great season. We’re in the Setanta Cup we’re in Europe
and we’ve now won the FAI Cup. But it’s onward Christian soldiers now to
get this new stadium off the ground and get a proper home for Drogheda.
“We want to build a 10,000 all-seater stadium and I’d hope we can see
it within 12 to 18 months. The cost will be in the order of €14-15million.
We now want to put Drogheda on the map. As I said to people, we’re now in
the business of elevation not relegation.”
The Co. Louth club’s victory was particularly sweet for players Graham
Gartland and Gavin Whelan — the latter scoring the opening goal. Central
defender Gartland collected his third FAI Cup winners medal in a row having
won the trophy previously with Longford Town in consecutive years.
“It’s unbelievable — it feels just as good as my first one,” said Dubliner
Gartland. “Many great players have never won a medal so I’m going to thoroughly
enjoy this. I could break my leg tomorrow and never play again.”
Man-of-the-match Whelan’s success was a real family affair as he followed
in his late grandfather Ronnie senior and dad Paul’s footsteps in winning
an FAI Cup medal.
Ronnie senior won the cup with St. Patrick’s Athletic in 1959 and 1961
while Paul captained Bohemians to victory in the 1992 final.
Gavin’s more famous uncle Ronnie junior of course also won a medal or
two in his days at Liverpool.
“It’s unbelievable for the family,” said 22-year-old Whelan. “My nan
was at the game and she had my grandad’s medals with her. She said a few
prayers and hopefully he was there with me.”
Another talking point in the aftermath of the recent FAI Cup final was
the poor state of the Lansdowne Road pitch which led to calls to play the
cup final a little earlier in the season.
“I don’t think December is the right time to play a cup final and I think
a lesson has to be learned from this,” said Damien Richardson, boss of beaten
finalists Cork.”
“There is also the fact that it was two weeks after the end of the season
and it was very difficult to keep the players concentrated.”
“I think it would be better to play it at a time when it is much more
conducive to quality football bearing in mind there will be a big crowd
at it and it is live on television.”
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