Devine happyfor boysafter win

The Waterside men who failed to secure a win in the Premier League this season, is hoping they can bounce back up and gain promotion.

“It was a disappointing season for us, not doing too well in the league and getting relegated, but winning a cup is a great way to finish the season,” he admitted.

“Winning the O’Bryan Cup it’s a good lift for the lads especially for next season.

“Going back down to the league, which we gained promotion from the year before, we are hoping to come straight back up.

“The experience we gained this year playing in the Premier League, will hopefully help us. The Premier League is top class but hopefully all the lads can stick together and we can come straight back up.”

Devine, who came on as a substitute in Saturday’s final because of a hamstring injury, was delighted for boss Terry Martin but he was disappointed to miss out on a starting place in the final.

“It was very emotional for Terry, he was very fired up prior to the match, but for us to win the cup on the anniversary of his mother’s death is something special,” added the big centre-back.

“For him to lift the cup on this day was great.

“I was gutted to miss out, to be honest the same thing happened a year ago in our promotion play-off match, I was injured then too, but it’s not about me and I was just happy that we won the cup.

“Yes it wasn’t the greatest final in the world, but you could play brilliantly and lose and who wants to do that.

“I thought defensively we looked very solid at the back, while at the other end Matty Smyth was always a threat to them, his pace and quick thinking meant he got in a few times and to be honest if he had taken all his chances we would have won by a bigger margin.
“I don’t think our keeper (Lee Simpson) had a real shot in anger to save throughout the game, while their keeper (JP McColgan) kept them in the game.”