Ciaran Coll targets more magical memories in Derry City's trophy tilt

It’s all about making memories as Ciaran Coll targets some silverware between now and the end of the season.

The St Johnston man is playing a central role as Derry City target League and Cup glory.

Two years ago, Coll played as Derry defeated Shelbourne 4-0 in the FAI Cup final. On Friday night, the Candystripes have a chance to get back to the final when they face Bohemians at Dalymount Park in a semi-final.

“Bringing that cup back to Derry and thousands outside the Guildhall waiting for us,” Coll says of the memories from 2002. “Hopefully we can bring it back to the city again for everyone, our families, it would be a massive achievement.

“It was unbelievable. I remember walking up on a lorry on the back of the stage and I just got goose-bumps.

“Once you win a trophy, it makes you want to continue to win more, it gives you that bit of hunger to get more. I don’t have much playing time left and I just want to do my best for the team and the city, to get more silverware into the club. I would love to do it again.

“That day in the Aviva, I will never forget it as I was able to take my wee boy onto the pitch and he will be able to look back on that as well and say ‘Daddy took me out onto the pitch.’ Hopefully, I can do it again, with my other wee boy as well. It will be a tough game for us on Friday (against Bohs) but hopefully, we can come out the right side of it.”

Coll took his eldest soon, Keegan, onto the pitch in 2022 and would love to give little Kody, just 17 months old now, a taste of silverware this year.

The win over Shels in 2022 was a first major trophy of Coll’s career. 

Earlier this summer, Coll scored Derry’s 1800th goal in league football since their entry into the League of Ireland when he netted in a 5-1 rout of Drogheda United.

Coll has played over 400 games between spells at Finn Harps - where he was club captain - and Derry.

Derry are chasing a first Premier Division title since 1997 and while they trail Shels by four points, Derry have a game in hand.

Last week, they lost to Drogheda while Shels themselves lost 3-2 against St Patrick’s Athletic in a thriller on Monday night.

Coll said: “We don’t want to look too far ahead. You just have to take it game by game, every game between now and the end of the season is going to be a cup final for us.’

“We have had setbacks before and rebounded from them really well the following week. There is a quick turnaround to the Cup semi-final on Friday, so we will get together, the boys will regroup and hopefully this Friday, we will put those mistakes behind us.”