Vinny Faherty knows that these are encouraging times for Salthill Devon. Eager to capture silverware on the local front, Devon are also making an impact in the FAI Junior Cup.
Sunday’s penalty shootout success over Fairview Rangers in Limerick edged Salthill into the last eight of the competition. It was a victory achieved through sheer grit and resilience.
“We were going down there as the underdogs of sorts, a tough place to go,” Faherty says. “We were playing on grass, we typically play on astroturf so it was a big challenge. We rode our luck for large, large parts of the game, but delighted to come out with the win.”
That Salthill advanced was all about defiance and determination according to Faherty. “Anyone that was at the game we didn't particularly play well,” Faherty adds.
“We didn't play like we typically do. We didn't really play ball, it was more of a backs to the wall, defensive job. We got it done, something you typically wouldn't mark down a Salthill Devon team for. In one way we were disappointed we didn't put our best foot forward. In the other we showed we could win when our backs were against the wall to a degree. We put in a really solid, defensive performance.
“We have a good team, we have a lot of talented lads, the challenge now is to keep focused and not to get distracted by all of the other cup competitions. You have four trophies to play for, we are in with a shout for all of them, but you can only focus on the game in front of you.”
Part of a Salthill squad that reached the penultimate round in the FAI Junior Cup previously, Faherty insists that the focus is on earning the Galway FA premier division title.
“Obviously we want to go as far as we can in the Irish Cup, I was part of it the last time the club got this far,” Faherty recalls.
“We got to the semi-finals in '06, I was playing and was a lot more mobile back then. It is great, but our focus is still the Galway league. The club haven't won it before, that is where are main focus is. Obviously we want to win everything we can possibly win.
“We are not getting distracted from that, results went our way on Sunday. We are delighted about that, we just need to focus on ourselves, to make sure we don't drop any more points. It is great to be in the quarter-final, hopefully we will be at home in Drom.”
Salthill’s blend of emerging and established players is important. “We have a bit of experience with that youth you need, the fearlessness that comes with that,” Faherty replies.
“It is a great bunch of lads. I have been in enough dressing rooms to know when you have a good group. It certainly is that, everyone is very together. We know when to get on to each other, when to demand more from each other. It is definitely enjoyable up there, that comes from the management, from Keith O'Shaughnessy and Victor all the way down. It is a good mix of lads.
“Outside of Brian Geraghty, who has been knocking around for about three decades, I think I'm the next oldest. I definitely feel my age up there, but it is great to be around them.”
With Athenry drawing against Corrib Celtic in the league, Salthill’s position on top of the table provides a source of encouragement.
“It is great, especially for us because we had dropped some points earlier on,” Faherty says. “I won't say favours, but we needed teams to take points off Athenry, it happened the weekend just gone. It shows the level that is there. We have dropped points to teams that on paper you would think we should be beating.
“There is no automatic three points, again we are aware of that. It comes back to my point that we cannot really get distracted by the Irish Cup. It is nice to have, but the league has got to be our main focus. I think it is. You just cannot look beyond this weekend, if you do you're going to drop points. The quality is there.”
**Listen to the full interview with Salthill Devon’s Vinny Faherty on this week’s ‘Cian on Sport’ podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
