Connolly reflects on 'whirlwind' year after cup win

From an unused substitute in Coleraine’s Irish Cup triumph in May to lifting the FAI Cup as Derry City’s interim manager in November, Mark Connolly’s footballing journey has taken quite the turn in six months.

The 34-year-old stepped up from his role as Director of Football to become manager on an interim basis in August following the departure of Tiernan Lynch.

Connolly took charge of a side that was short of confidence, struggling for consistency and appeared to be drifting away from the high expectations that had surrounded the club at the start of the season

However, during his successful tenure, he helped the Candystripes steady their league campaign to finish fifth and lift the FAI Cup to secure European football for next season.

“You never know what will happen in life, you genuinely don’t. Life itself is crazy and football is crazy,” Connolly told BBC Sport NI.

“It’s been a whirlwind year, but what I would say to past Mark Connolly or any player, especially when they’re older, is that you just don’t know what will happen.

“I’ve been thrown in and a lot of this stuff has come to me that I’ve never managed before. I’ve not properly coached before! So, I was thrown in with no armbands and see how it goes and thankfully it’s went alright.”

‘I can feel everyone coming back together’

Before the 2026 campaign, there was plenty of anticipation and expectation around what Derry could achieve following a strong first season under Lynch when they finished just three points off top spot and sealed a European football spot.

There was a feeling that Derry were building towards something significant and a strong summer window strengthened those beliefs.

Instead, the early months of the season brought frustration as performances failed to excite and a seven-game winless run left the club near the bottom of the table.

The optimism around the season quickly turned into discontent with the relationship between the club and fans further tested when the return of former Wrexham and Republic of Ireland midfielder James McClean did not go to plan.

As a result, during his first managerial role, Connolly did not only have to deliver results but also help strengthen the relationship with their fans.

“There was a bit of a divide, the fans weren’t too happy this season, rightly so, and they were pushing away and we needed to get that all back together,” Connolly said.

“It’s such a great place and when it’s good, the fans will tell you it’s brilliant in the shop but, if it’s not good, they’ll tell you how bad it was. So, I pick and choose when I go and get my milk!

“I think it’s the biggest pride I’ve taken from it. I can feel it myself, I can feel everyone coming back together. It still takes time and it’s not there yet, but I think having a football team that the city is proud of is massive and they should be so proud of the boys.”

‘Being on that sideline is hard’

Connolly now has two FAI Cup winners medals after the former defender played a key part in the Derry side that won the 2022 final after a dominant 4-0 victory over Shelbourne. Many thought that would be the start of a rise in form for the club and would help them push for a first Premier Division title since 1997.

However, this was not the case with Sunday’s cup final victory their first silverware since and Shamrock Rovers the side who have won six of the past seven titles in the top flight.

“We need to take stock, sit back and go, where do we build on it? We have to build,” he continued.

“We can’t just win the cup and then all of a sudden say we’re going to win the league next year.

“The aim for us now is to build a football club that’s not just going to win a league once but potentially win it year on year and be that sort of driving force. It takes time.”

Connolly has impressed during his time on the sidelines, but he is now due to return to his original role of Director of Football as the search for a permanent manager continues.

The 34-year-old said he is “not 100% sure” if he would consider another managerial role in the future after his successful interim spell.

“It’s been tough, being on that sideline is hard. The respect I have for managers is through the roof,” he continued.

“It’s a really, really tough gig and obviously I get a lot of applause but there are staff behind there that have worked tirelessly this week. We’ve put in a lot of hours.

“I think sometimes you’d rather go back and be a player and all you have to focus on is yourself whereas you’re dealing with everything. We’ll have the conversations this week and see where it takes us.”