PARS GAFFER’S HAMPDEN PERK

STEPHEN KENNY regards his three trips to Hampden Park in 2007 as key moments in his 24 year senior management journey.

The Ireland boss steered his Dunfermline Athletic side to the Scottish Cup final in May of that year when remarkably beating Rangers, Hearts and Hibernian before losing to Celtic by the only goal.

The Pars’ achievement in reaching the biggest day in Scottish football came despite Kenny’s men fighting a heroic Premiership relegation battle from what appeared to be a hopeless position in January that ultimately ended in narrow failure. Prior to their appearance on the big day, Kenny’s outfit ousted Hibs in the replayed semi-final at the famous Glasgow stadium.

Kenny only spent a year at East End Park (above right) with the stint ended when the club made a poor start to their second tier campaign in 200708, triggering his return to Derry City from whom he had joined Dunfermline in November, 2006.

“It was obviously a good time and we pushed Celtic close but there was a late goal,” recalled Kenny whose side was beaten by Jean-joel Perrier Doumbe’s 85th minute strike for Gordon Strachan’s Hoops (left).

“It was part of the learning curve for me at the time and good experiences.

“It was nearly black and white it was that long ago!

“We were huge underdogs against Hibs in the semi-final. They had beaten Kilmarnock 6-1 in the CIS Cup final.

“Hibs had Scott Brown, Steven Fletcher, Steven Whittaker, all that team.

“Kilmarnock had beaten us 5-1 in the league so we had to go in against a team that had beaten them 6-1.

“They were a really cracking team Hibs. We drew with them in the first game and beat them in the replay.

“It is an historic stadium of course, there have been many, many great games there with huge crowds over the years.

“We’re going there and looking forward to going there on Saturday. It’s a big occasion for us and we want to try to go and have a really

good night.”