Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty says they're "well used" to the underdogs tag as they look ahead to Sunday's Sports Direct FAI Cup showdown against Derry City.
Doherty's side are facing into a massive fortnight, seeking to win a first FAI Cup title in 19 years this weekend, after which they have to navigate another promotion-relegation playoff against Bray Wanderers the following Saturday.
As usual, pegged as likely relegation fodder at the start of the season, Drogheda avoided the automatic relegation spot with some ease in the end, finishing eight points clear of crisis-hit Louth rivals Dundalk.
It was a win over Dundalk which kick-started their Cup run, with further victories over Wilton United (which finished 9-0), Athlone Town and a dramatic semi-final triumph over Wexford FC seeing them into a first final since 2013.
While retaining Premier Division status has been the chief objective for 2024, Doherty says their entire focus for this week on the Cup decider.
"At the start of the season, you'd always be thinking about your league position and what league you're going to be in.
"But the Cup... I wouldn't say it's a bonus because it's something we always target. A lot has to go your way to get to a Cup final.
"If we had to win the Shelbourne or Dundalk games were ones we had to win to get in a playoff or stay up, we might have had to rush players back from injury.
"And that's a credit to the players because we put ourselves in that position. Training has to be going well and fitness wise, things are good."
Drogheda's last win in the league came over Derry City in late September, Frantz Pierrot's second half brace pushing them seven points clear of Dundalk.
The result was taken as typical of Derry's flakiness in the league, which proved their undoing with damaging draws at home to Bohemians and Sligo Rovers and defeats to St Patrick's Athletic and Shelbourne in the final two weekends.
By contrast, the Candystripes have been near flawless in the Cup, with no goals conceded despite a treacherous path which saw them dispatch St. Pat's, Shels and Bohemians.
Ruaidhrí Higgins have very recent experience of this stage, after their crushing 4-0 victory over Shels in the 2022 final.
All that given, Doherty accepts his side are going in as clear underdogs, though that's nothing new.
"We're well used to it," says Doherty. "Generally, every week, we are underdogs in games. You don't have to go to a bookmaker or anything, people will tell you that anyway. We can certainly handle that tag.
"We've analysed their (Derry's) matches, like we do everybody. One of them was against us a few weeks ago. Different surroundings, different competition. We were at home in that game. They've a lot of players and a manager that have won this competition two years ago and done really, really well over the last few years.
"We're under no illusions that it's going to be very difficult but I can promise you one thing - we'll be fully prepared for it.
"We're doing everything we can. We're very confident that we're preparing right for the final. I remember the (2022) final, things didn't go Shels' way and Derry were excellent.
"We can just look after ourselves. Whatever Derry team turn up, that's completely up to them."
Drogheda's only Cup win to date was in 2005, the second last final played in the old Lansdowne Road, when goals from Gavin Whelan and Declan O'Brien denied Cork City a league and cup double.
The 24,000-strong crowd was very healthy for the era, the best-attended final of the decade. However, latterly, the FAI Cup has evolved into a major showpiece, with close to 44,000 attending last year's final.
Attending last year's final, Doherty - who has just completed his third season in charge at Weavers Park - couldn't help but fantasising about being in the dugout for a Cup decider.
"I don't think if you were a manager in the league and you were at the Cup final last year in particular, with the crowd and that, you couldn't but think 'God, I wish that was me, I wish that was our team and our club'.
"I remember looking across at Jon Daly and Declan Devine and thinking 'God, I'd love that to be me.' And lucky enough, it is this year.
"But it's not about me, it's about the players and the staff and making sure that everybody is prepared for it.
"Maintaining league status was ultimately our goal at the start of the season but the FAI Cup is a special day for everybody's family and friends. For the players right now, it's just about preparing and trying to go and win it."
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