Shadow cast over sup final

THE DEATH of Conor O'Dowd, younger brother of Derry City goalkeeper Tony, serves as an untimely reminder that even the FAI Cup final is only a game. The word tragedy is a mite too easily applied in a sporting context, but this real tragedy casts a shadow over the event, and especially for Derry City.

Ultimately though, the show must go on and the cup final will take it's course and ifs own distinctive shape, whatever that may be. This sad event may even be a factor depending how Derry's players react.

As Felix Healy admitted yesterday: "Human nature being what it is the will want to win the cup for Tony's sake but even if they do I'm sure that will be scant consolation to the O'Dowds."

Healy will leave a decision regarding Tony O'Dowd's participation to the player himself, and will wait until tomorrow.

Beyond making plans for Tony O'Dowd's possible absence, with Declan Devine deputising and - Tom Mohan supplementing the substitute's bench, the Derry manager says: "I don't know how to prepare the team for this game, to be honest."

But the rest of the Derry team in any case, picks itself, the nucleus having suffered only two defeats in their last 29 games.

With Derry, you pretty much know what you're going to get. Not so Shelbourne. So much of this final still revolves around their mood, and indeed their make-up.

The champions are on a roll, and justifiably come into the game as favourites in the eyes of the bookies and also most of the cognoscenti. They have not turned their form off like a tap, but then again, Shelbourne did turn it on again last season to deny St Patrick's the double. It's uncannily similar.

Thus, irritating though the recent flat performances have been for Damien Richardson, they can probably be disregarded. Another cup final will surely galvanise Shelbourne's big-game players again. Of more concern for them is the knee injury which will probably sideline Pat Morley, whose seasonal graph (three defeats in 25 games) has coincided sharply with Shelbourne's better form.

The Morley-Stephen Geoghegan partnership yielded 30 goals in 24 games, but the latter hasn't scored in the last four outings.

Then there Tony Sheridan. He too, has lost his zip, drifting through matches seemingly disinterested, although there were signs of an upturn against Bray and Dundalk. He is in nothing like the same form as at this point last year yet, on his day, he remains the domestic game's most exciting and creative talent. Like Geoghegan, it'll be surprising if Sheridan doesn't relish this occasion.

Shelbourne coped without Morley in overcoming Waterford in the semi-finals and three weeks ago Dessie Baker was the most troublesome thorn in Derry's side. The 19-year-old ex-Manchester United player doesn't have Morley's experience in linking the play, but he is the quickest of Shelbourne's strikers on the turn and only when made to turn is the excellent Paul Curran-Gavin Dykes partnership notably troubled. Even in that first-half though, Derry only briefly wobbled; showing what a good side they are when the chips are down and also when on top in the second-half. Shelbourne indeed, have been more porous this season. This may not be so much a defensive thing as a midfield thing. Shelbourne commit theirs to attack, but Derry's quartet all defend well, while the Derry back four are rarely over-committed. Paul Hegarty, particularly, has done an intelligent holding job and is finishing the season superbly.

Save for Alan Gough in goal, Declan Geoghegan and Mark Rutherford along the left, and Stephen Geoghegan up front, practically no-one seems assured of his place, not even Pascal Vaudequin and Sheridan. But they surely will play, in which case, who'll partner Sheridan in the middle from Brian Flood, Greg Costello, Dave Campbell, John O'Rourke and Dean Fitzgerald?

Flood is probably the favourite, but there is the possibility that another could be accommodated in there amid a return to 4-5-1, perhaps Campbell. Then Mick Neville could return to his best position, centre-half, with Costello at full-back, and Stephen Geoghegan the lone striker.

In times of worry, if not crisis then, a return to the successful formula with eight of last year's final line-up? Shelbourne have a welter of previous finals behind them. In addition to Pascal Vaudequin's four with Derry, Costello (3) Rutherford (3), Gough (2), Flood (2), Stephen Geoghegan (2) they have a dozen Shelbourne finals between them.

Neville has eight to his name, and with seven winners' medals is in line to equal the all-time record which is shared by Johnny Fullam (Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians) and William `Sacky' Glen (Shamrock Rovers).

Either way, there are no hard and fast rules about this final. The first goal has not been decisive in three drawn league meetings, each coming from behind. Neither side is likely to capitulate. It should ebb and flow.