Rockmount hoping to retain FAI Intermediate Cup with win over Cockhill Celtic

ROCKMOUNT are chasing back-to-back FAI Intermediate Cup titles at The Showgrounds in Sligo on Sunday (2pm) when they will face Ulster Senior League side Cockhill Celtic.

The Cork side will be hoping to lift their sixth title and close in on their Munster Senior League rivals Avondale United’s record tally of eight wins.

Cockhill will be appearing in their first final and not since 1995 has an Ulster Senior League side contested the national decider when Fanad United beat College Corinthians 1-0 in Terryland Park.

Rockmount manager Eddie Kenny and his team will make the 640km round-trip to Sligo with a full squad, no injury worries, and a positive run of form.

“We’re in a good place as far as fitness is concerned and we have no injury concerns. We are ready for the occasion and everybody at the club is looking forward to it,” Kenny said.

Rockmount will go into Sunday’s final on the back of a fine run of results. Since their league defeat to Cobh Wanderers in early February, they have won four games in the league to go along with their Intermediate Cup wins over Kilbarrack in the quarter-final and Lucan United in the semi-finals as well as a penalty shootout win over Home Farm in the FAI Senior Cup, and Kenny is very pleased with their form going into Sunday’s game.

“It’s been a good few weeks for us; the lads responded well to that Cobh defeat, and we will travel to Sligo with some good results behind us.”

Cockhill are a bit of an unknown quantity for Rockmount, though Kenny has been gathering as much information as he can about their opponents.

“I’ve seen a few video clips of them playing and I’ve got a bit of information from people around the country. They played Avondale and Ringmahon in previous rounds, and fellas from both clubs have also helped.”

Rockmount won the trophy in Turner’s Cross last season, beating Bluebell 2-0, so they knew that once Cockhill had defeated Ringmahon in their semi-final at Ringmahon Park, the decider wouldn’t be played on Leeside.

However, Kenny was disappointed with the decision to play the game in Sligo.

“It’s a bit of a disgrace really to have one team travelling twice as long as the other. It has put huge pressure on the club financially. The team and management will travel up the day before and the whole trip will cost in the region of €12,000.”

When you consider the expense of Rockmount’s previous road trips, which include three journeys to Dublin for the Usher Celtic, Lucan United, and Home Farm games, it’s been a difficult season for the club financially.

“But for the support of local businesses, such as our main sponsors like Irish Guide Dogs, Quinnlan’s Bar in Blackpool, Daly Industrial Supplies, and Parmac Sprinklers, we wouldn’t have been able to approach this game the way we wanted to.

“We are very grateful for their support and for the way the club has rowed in behind us in giving us everything that we need.”

“It’s not easy for the people who will travel to support the team; some will go up the day before at their own expense; others will travel on the day.”

Despite having to make a longer journey than their opponents to the Sligo venue, Rockmount are still hot favourites to retain their crown.

Paddy Power has quoted them at 2/5 to lift the trophy with Cockhill available at 7/4.

Kenny, though, is playing down the favourites’ tag.

“I don’t think us being favourites means anything. They’ve gone to Dublin and come to Cork twice and got results, so I’m not reading anything into that.

“We can only control how we play ourselves. We hope that players have learned and gained from last year; the build-up to the game and dealing with any nervousness that might be there.

“It will be new to some of our players, but most of them have experienced winning the trophy.”

Despite Kenny’s reticence regarding favouritism, and the fact that they will chalk up more miles than any other trip this season, Rockmount have all the attributes needed to win this competition again.

They have a very experienced squad, six of whom have been involved in the Irish Amateur set-up over the past year and possess a massive goal threat in Luke Casey, Eoin Murphy, and Cian Leonard, and in goalkeeper Brendan O’Connell they have a player who has won everything in the national game.

If they play true to form, then they should justify the bookies’ short price and bring the trophy back to Rockmount Park.