FAI CUP FINAL QUOTES:FOR THE Irish game generally, yesterday's FAI Cup final at the RDS represented a good ending to a very bad year but after managing his side to runaway success in the league, Bohemians boss Pat Fenlon could be forgiven for going a little beyond that in his analysis of its significance.

"It was a fantastic game," he said, "a great showpiece amid all the doom and gloom. And it shows again what a great group of players we have at this club at the moment. We've only had them together for one season now and they've won the country's two main competitions. That's quite an achievement but for whatever reason the lads have never really gotten the credit they've deserved over the course of the last few months.

"I don't think you'll see a much better game anywhere. You saw out there how much the physical fitness of the players, their strength, their touch have all improved over the last few years and it would be a terrible pity if that progress was lost because the game goes back to a part-time set up."

Talk of budget cuts for next year at Dalymount has prompted rumours that Fenlon is frustrated with his options and he didn't take kindly to a question regarding whether or not this had been his last game in charge of the team. When the matter of tying up players for the defence of the double was mentioned, though, he suggested that it is a matter for the future. "We'll celebrate first and then maybe I'll start talking to the lads through the week and hopefully everything will sort itself out in the end."

Beside him was one of the star's of this year's success, Mark Rossiter, whose missed spot-kick had ended up counting for nothing as Brian Murphy saved two to ensure his side came through the penalty shoot-out on top. "Obviously I was disappointed to miss because I was 100 per cent confident I was going to score when I was going up. Afterwards, I went to Brian not just because he'd saved my neck with the two penalty saves but because he's been great for us all year."

For Derry manager Stephen Kenny there was understandable disappointment but, he insisted, a huge amount of pride too after a display he reckoned to have been the best turned in by any team in a final during the past decade.

"If you can tell me of a better one then I'd like to hear about it," he said. "Obviously I'm terribly disappointed but I can't fault any of my players, they were tremendous. I don't think you normally see that quality of football in this country. Bohemians were good too, they're a formidable team and you can't take that away from them but I thought we were the better side on the day."

They were also, he maintained, the victims of two poor penalty decisions which between them might have had a decisive impact on where the silverware went. "For me the first one is a definite penalty. (Sammy) Morrow's gone into the box and it's an awkward challenge from behind that's sent him over. The one against him then is extremely harsh. How it could be seen as hand to ball is beyond me," said Kenny.

Asked if he felt hard done by in the circumstances he made it clear that he certainly felt entitled to. "Without a doubt I do. They were the two key decisions of the game. We should have had one and they shouldn't have had one."

Kenny had some words of consolation for Kevin Deery and Ruaidhri Higgins, both of whom had seen their spot-kicks saved in the shoot-out. "They're young players but they're emerging at a very good rate. Some of their ball retention out there today, their switching of sides and their movement was really excellent but what happens now is up to the board really. There's been a lot of interest in Niall (McGinn) and Mark (Farren) but everybody's under contract and we'll have to see what happens over the next few weeks."