An incredible performance and a better outcome – Cork City are going to the Aviva. A 3-0 dismantling of St Patrick’s Athletic means a Cup final date with either Shamrock Rovers or Kerry FC, and for once in this bleak season, there is something to savour.
For Stoke City loanee Freddie Anderson, it is the lift they badly needed.
“Obviously, it’s been tough in the league,” he said, after the 3-0 win over St Pat’s. “But the cup’s given us a bit of a break and something for everyone to look forward to now and a day out in the Aviva, hopefully it takes a bit of the pressure off and gives our fans something to cheer about, hopefully.” That wasn’t the script when he crossed the water at the start of the season, parachuted into a relegation fight rather than a cup run.
“It wasn’t, but obviously it’s nice when it comes around. It was just hopefully play as many games as possible get a bit of experience under my belt, but it’s nice to hopefully get a chance at some Silverware yeah.” Anderson has never even seen an FAI Cup final in the flesh.
“No, I’ve never watched it,” he smiled. “I’ve seen, clips and stuff, but no, I’ve never watched it live, no, so looking forward to it.” The win over Pat’s hardly matched the outside narrative, but belief inside Turner’s Cross never wavered.
Mason Melia of St Patrick’s Athletic in action against Freddie Anderson of Cork City. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
“We were the underdogs, but in the changing room, we all believe that anyone comes to our place, we can beat anyone, so we didn’t see ourselves as underdogs,” Anderson explained. “But obviously outside noise saw it as given that it was going to be Pats and Rovers, but it wasn’t.
“We’re there now, so we’ll do our best to win it.” They have taken it round by round, sneaking late goals, surviving tight ties, and only in the quarters did the thought of the Aviva begin to flicker. “We’ve taken it game by game, we’ve scored some late goals and we’ve managed to bounce through the rounds and yeah, I think as soon as we got to about the quarters, you start to think about the final.”
Turner’s Cross has been their sanctuary. Why they are unbeatable there while floundering away remains a mystery even to the players themselves.
“I wish I could tell you!” He said. “I don’t know what it is. I was asking the lads about it. I don’t know what it is, but it’s just maybe a mentality switch or something.
“It’s just other team’s mentality coming to our place. They know it’s going to be a tough night, no matter what form we’re in. I have no idea what it is, but we’re enjoying it while it lasts.
“Obviously in the league, it’s a bit different. We’re chasing wins, we needed to win points to try and get us to safety. So we’re going after games a bit more.
“Whereas in a semi-final, both teams can win it, we’re both in the same boat.
We’re not going to their place trying to get points. They’re here, it’s just fair game.
“I think that favoured us a bit tonight and obviously we scored in the first half and then we could sort of defend our lead a bit and then obviously led to two goals from Evan McLaughlin.” His father, Viv – a two-time European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest – wasn’t in Cork to see it, though he will be at the final.
“My dad wasn’t here, he messaged me, just after the game. He’s coming over tomorrow, actually. He didn’t make it for the game, but he watches every game.
“I’ll have to check what he said, I literally brushed over it! Everyone was going nuts in the changing room!” He laughed.
So I didn’t really see it, but I saw ‘proud dad’.
“Definitely [he’ll be there for the final]. I think we’ll have a lot of people over for the final. So it’s a good one to look forward to.” Before then, Anderson’s attention briefly shifts to Spain, where he links up with the USA U20 squad.
Evan McLaughlin celebrates scoring Cork City’s third goal of the game. Picture: ©Inpho/Ryan Byrne
“I’m away on Tuesday in Spain. So that’ll be a good one, it’s the same group of lads pretty much now. We’ve got a pretty set group now.
“There’s loads of accent banter over there. I always get taken the mick out of for my accent all the time, and I take the mick out of theirs, so it goes both ways!” And should Cork City crown this Cup run with a shock win? Might Mauricio Pochettino be making a call?
“I’d like to think so, touch wood!”
