An alternative look at tonight's EA SPORTS Cup final between Derry City and Dundalk FC

Who needs the EA SPORTS Cup more, a Dundalk FC team counting down the victories to a fifth SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title in six renewals, or the holders, Derry City, who were left devastated by an extra-time loss to The Lilywhites in the FAI Cup?

Vinny Perth, for what would be his first major piece of silverware since taking over from Stephen Kenny, or Declan Devine, the man who has inspired The Brandywell side’s fearsome spirit on his second coming as Derry manager?

Arguments could be made either way. But, regardless of who prevails, will the presence of the League Cup in the winners’ trophy cabinet really be the making, or breaking, of either of these teams’ season? 

For Dundalk, and Perth, the league is the holy grail. For Derry, it’s a place in Europe. One assumes both bosses would sacrifice Saturday night’s offering to achieve these more pressing objectives.

Yet Derry, who will have a partisan home support in their favour, have history to defend, The Candystripes being the sole League of Ireland competitor to achieve the domestic treble which not even Kenny’s double winners of 2015 and 2018 threatened to emulate. 

For Perth to be deeply in the hunt for all three of the trophies on offer within Ireland at this stage of a campaign which has been more than kissed by misfortune on the injury front is remarkable and renders any notion of replacing him for next season ridiculous, quite frankly.

But with every victory the minds of those on the coalface of Dundalk must be drifting towards the potential of a domestic three-timer, in spite of their better intentions. Could that layer further pressure on Saturday night’s Bogside affair? Potentially, even if The Lilywhites are far too professional and experienced to mistake fantasy for reality. 

As RTÉ GAA pundit Pat Spillane was keen to get across in advance of the recently drawn All-Ireland final, deciders often entail what former American politician Donald Rumsfeld refers to as “unknown unknowns”. 

In the case of the EA SPORTS Cup duel, uncertainties range from the potential for injury, to a poor performance, to a refereeing decision, to a quantifiable error.

For all those of us speculating could know, the game could be a 6-5 thriller or a scoreless snorefest. 

Form goes out the window on days where prizes, regardless of how they’re perceived in the list of priorities, are up for grabs, hence their intrigue.

Make no bones about it, both sides will be going for this as though the season depended upon it. Derry will be seeking to console their hurt from their FAI Cup devastation and with David Parkhouse back in the team they’ll have an incisive edge in attack. 

Dundalk, meanwhile, have a cohort who have nothing more to achieve in terms of laminating their legacy as all-time greats, but a third League Cup - which may potentially spark their unique treble pursuit - would be as well received as any of their prior triumphs. Winners never tire of winning.

It’s clear that while home advantage will be of use to Derry, Dundalk have the superior components in personnel terms, while they’re also entering on the hump of a relentless unbeaten run. 

Although finals are often determined by luck and work-rate, the latter of which is a controllable which The Lilywhites are never found wanting for. 

So, the sole remaining “unknown unknown” pertains to luck. What way are you swaying, lady?