Ex-Rangers striker leads League of Ireland club to FAI Cup glory in front of record breaking 43,000 crowd

Former Rangers and Dundee United star Jon Daly has won his first piece of silverware as a manager by guiding St Patrick's Athletic to FAI Cup glory on Sunday.

In front of a record-breaking attendance of 43,881 supporters at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Daly repeated his Scottish Cup heroics with the Tangerines in 2010 by lifting the Irish equivalent after just six months in the job with a 3-1 win over Bohemians.

Daly replaced former Hibs and Kilmarnock defender Tim Clancy at Inchicore back in May and led St Pat's to a third-place finish in the League of Ireland. Victory over Bohemians - their second FAI Cup triumph in three years - has further enhanced his coaching reputation after stints at Hearts and TPS Turku in Finland.

The 40-year-old - who spent two seasons Ibrox between 2013 and 2015 after joining on a free transfer as the club made their way back up through the lower leagues - admitted he had full belief his side could achieve silverware.

He told the Irish Mirror: “I had a firm belief that the group of players could go and achieve something remarkable this year and they have certainly done that and more.

“Going into management, I had to make sure I went into the right job and it had to feel right. That’s why I put my hand up.

“It would have been very easy to say no, if I didn’t believe in them. I could have jumped on a plane and gone back home to my family and try to get a job closer to home. But no, I firmly believed we could go and achieve.”

Jonathan Afolabi gave Bohemians an early lead from the penalty spot, but Mark Doyle equalised before the break. St Pat’s completed the turnaround courtesy of an own goal by Krystian Nowak and Tommy Lonergan’s late strike added a touch of gloss to the score line.