It was just a dink, delicate and measured, but it hit with the impact of a wrecking ball. The instant the leather left his laces, Declan O’Brien knew Drogheda United had won the cup.
He left Lansdowne Road that chilly December evening in 2005 not only as a goalscorer but also as the first man in history to captain the club to FAI Cup glory – Drogheda United 2; Cork City 0.
All of 19 years on, he remains the only player to have done so.
They recall him more fondly as Fabio – the nickname he acquired in his youth as a result of having Italian relations. The moniker accompanied him throughout what was a football career less ordinary.
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He played against Robbie Keane in Crumlin, alongside Jordi Cruyff in Malta, Paddy McCourt was his team-mate in Glenavon, Roddy Collins was his manager in Monaghan. But that 2005 Cup final has jumped to the top of the queue again recently. History, there can only be one first time.
“That victory kind of put Drogheda on the map, it was huge for the club,” recalls O’Brien, who is the club’s record goalscorer with 111 goals. “It was one of those underdog stories as well, which always adds something special. I think there are similarities with this weekend.”
The Drogs are back in the final for only the fourth time in history – they lost in 1971, 1976 and 2013. Sunday’s opponents Derry City have won the competition on six occasions, most recently in 2022.
O’Brien was just 26 when he captained Drogheda to that FAI Cup triumph. Two years later he was part of the club’s first Premier Division winning squad, though a cruciate knee ligament injury curtailed his involvement that season.
A brief spell playing with Drogheda’s bitter rivals Dundalk followed, testing his hero status among the claret and blue faithful.
Drogheda were engulfed in financial difficulties in 2008 and that October they entered examinership. The following January, O’Brien, with a new house and baby daughter to consider, took the only full-time contract offer on the table – it came from Dundalk.
During a subsequent derby match between the two Louth clubs, a pig’s head was tossed from Drogheda fans towards their former player. The Dubliner didn’t stay long in Oriel Park and six months later went on loan to St Patrick’s Athletic.
From there he then wound up kicking ball in the Mediterranean sunshine where he won the Maltese Cup with Valletta in 2010. The club’s player-manager at the time was Cruyff – the former Barcelona and Manchester United attacking midfielder.
“As two of the foreign players there at the time, we would have spent quite a bit of time together,” recalls O’Brien. “We’d go out for food, go to the cinema, he was very laid back. For a guy who played at such a high level himself and whose father is an icon in the game, he was so humble. I could only say good things about Jordi.”
They mixed well on the field too. In a league game against Dingli Swallows in February 2010 O’Brien bagged four goals and Cruyff scored two.
“At the time in Malta teams were only allowed three foreign players, so there was pressure on you to perform because the foreign players were getting paid more than the locals. It was great looking up at the scoreboard that day.”
When O’Brien came back to Ireland he had brief stints first with Athlone Town and then Monaghan United, before eventually returning “home”. In January 2012 he joined Drogheda for the second time, staying for three seasons.
“One of the reasons I went back was because I felt I had unfinished business there. I had always had a strong connection with the club and the fans, going back was important to me.”
During that second spell O’Brien hit goalscoring form again and re-established himself as Drogs royalty. To this day he remains a club idol.
“It’s such a community club, a homely club, I’m buzzing this week for everybody there.”
O’Brien continued playing until his early 40s, but he is not currently involved in the game. He helped coach his son’s underage teams for a period but his job as a processing manager for An Post makes it difficult to be available every weekend for now.
He will however be at the Aviva on Sunday along with his daughter Ava and son Jude.
“I think it’s going to be a brilliant day. It will be great going in with my kids as well, there will be plenty of emotions going around.”
If Drogheda’s task hadn’t already been difficult enough in 2005, a bout of food poisoning hit the squad in the days before that final against a double-chasing Cork City outfit. But in the game, it wasn’t a factor.
Drogheda’s opening goal arrived shortly after half-time, O’Brien whipped in a cross from the right and Gavin Whelan netted. Then, in the 83rd minute, O’Brien raced in behind the Cork defence to meet a looping ball over the top.
The striker’s first instinct was to check for a flag. There was none. He was onside. One on one. O’Brien decided to go low, carefully place it in the corner. But suddenly Cork goalkeeper Michael Devine was rushing towards him. Up in the stands, there wasn’t a Drogheda supporter still in their seat. The stadium took a collective intake of breath. Silence.
“There are times when the ball just bounces right and sits up perfectly for you. That was one of those moments,” recalls O’Brien. “I changed my mind, the keeper was in no man’s land, I just had to guide the ball over his head and keep it on target. As soon as I lifted it over him I knew it was in and I knew the game was over.”
It was just a dink, but it was enough to make history.
Almost two decades on, Declan “Fabio” O’Brien hopes Drogheda United can finally make some more this weekend.
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