Mark Connolly believes there are enough strong characters in the Derry City dressing room to regroup and challenge again for honours - after the disappointment of this year.

The Candystripes went into their final three games with a league and FAI Cup double still within reach - but lost all three games, against St Patrick’s Athletic, Shelbourne and Drogheda United in yesterday’s FAI Cup final.

With speculation swirling about the futures of those on the pitch and in the dugout, Connolly said: “That would be the club and the manager.

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“For me, you’re either going to be on top of the world and full of joy or the bottom of it, and unfortunately that is where we are.

“I’ve had enough throughout my career of highs and lows and how you deal with them.

“You can shrivel up and go under a rock and let it affect you, or you can come out stronger and hopefully put things right.

“Obviously people are going to come out and be disappointed with how it ended but we are taking it very hard but we need to stay strong, regroup and go again.”

Asked if the character was there in the dressing room, he said: “I hope so, I certainly hope so. There are big players who have won leagues and won cups and played in big games. I would like to think so.

“Again it’s going to hurt for a bit and we’ll see come pre-season where boys are and where we’re at, we need to come back strong, questions are going to be asked and we’ve got to stand up to it.”

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Connolly was a part of the Derry side that won the 2022 FAI Cup final against Shelbourne.

He said: “The high two years ago was amazing and the low now is pretty horrible but that’s football. We just didn’t do enough to win that football match.
“We’re on the wrong end of the scoreline and that’s disappointing.

“I think when you look at it and you get into moments and you try and play it and you pass the ball there, that little bit in the end, we didn’t do enough.

“It’s hard to take, it’s a Cup final that we’ve lost. There is one winner and one loser and we were the losers today, going to have to take that on the chin and move on.

“It’s extremely hard to take, you’re sort of within touching distance of winning a double and you’re coming away with nothing, it’s a hard one to take.

“As football players and professionals, you can either shy away from it and let it affect you or get ready to go again next season.”

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