Tough to Beat one final win

STEVEN BEATTIE hopes to end his Cork City stay with a bang in Sunday’s FAI Cup final.

The defender looks likely to be playing his last game for the Rebels, with a return to America a strong possibility.

Beattie, 30, previously played for North Kentucky University and also had a brief stint with Toronto.

Yet while he has been a fan favourite on Leeside for the last three-and-ahalf years, at the start of this year, Cork boss John Caulfield went shopping for right-backs as Beattie was considering options in America.

But he turned down a move across the Atlantic as the lure of playing in the Champions League proved too irresistible.

Ahead of Sunday’s final, Beattie said: “I wanted a CV that says I played in Europa League qualifiers and Champions League qualifier.

“But America is definitely an option.

“If I do move on, it won’t be to another team in the League of Ireland – it will be the States, where I’ve a few options.

“The opportunities there – football and coaching – are immense. But first I want to look no further than Sunday and helping Cork win three in a row.

“And if it is to be my last game for the club, I want to finish on a high.”

Beattie is fit again after a hamstring injury but feared missing out on Sunday’s final, where Cork will look to atone for losing their league title to Dundalk.

“I don’t think we were good enough, being brutally honest,” he said.

“We lacked spark and energy, which is not usually the Cork way.

“Dundalk were the better team.”