Brandon Kavanagh grew up listening to people comparing him to Damien Duff and now he wants to show him why.
Kavanagh was a schoolboy footballer in Dublin, turning heads at Crumlin United, St Francis briefly and then at the renowned St Joseph’s Boys.
St Pat’s captain Joe Redmond was his skipper in a Joey’s side that quickly grew accustomed to winning trophies.
Shamrock Rovers ace Andy Lyons, Bohemians duo Jonathan Afolabi and Ryan Burke and Cork City’s Aaron Bolger were also among his team-mates.
The Duff comparisons made sense considering Kavanagh’s slippery, tricky style but it was still heavy baggage to saddle a young, livewire from Crumlin with.
But as the attacking midfielder hatches a plan to take down Duff’s Shelbourne in Sunday’s FAI Cup final, Kavanagh insists he took it all in his stride.
And anyway, Duff wasn’t even the Ireland star he actually tried to style himself on.
“I remember watching him but the one I’d base my game on at the time was Wes Hoolahan,” said Kavanagh, who Derry paid a fee to Shamrock Rovers for last December.
“I met Wes a couple of times and he was brilliant when putting any questions to him. He was training with Rovers in the pre-season.
“It would be more Wes because he’s central and the way he takes the ball, on the half turn, we’re sort of similar.
“I used to wonder why he wasn’t in a lot of Ireland squads but Ireland changed the way he played and we saw how good he was.”
Kavanagh, 22, is the epitome of a street footballer and a joy to watch when on song as he weaves through defences with that low centre of gravity and magnets in his boots.
“I was just thinking about it this morning, that I was never inside on a Playstation until I was older at 16,” he said, adding that was his way of unwinding after morning training.
“You don’t see many kids these days out with a football. But that’s all I ever did, with two or three balls on the road.
“I’d even do it on my own, kicking against the wall thinking of playing at Aviva Stadium. That was the dream when I was younger and we all have a chance on Sunday to live that dream.
“You don’t think of anything else, like who you’re playing in front of, it was just ‘how can I get there?’. Having a football at your feet all day was the only way to help you.”
Kavanagh joined Shamrock Rovers in 2019, having spent a brief time in Bohemians’ underage set-up before that.
And while he made almost 50 appearances for the first-team in all competitions over three seasons - and another 16 in their First Division side - he craved regular action.
Derry boss Ruaidhri Higgins swooped last December, luring Kavanagh to the north-west and backing the youngster by arming him with a three-year contract.
“It was a huge decision for me,” he said. “I saw what the manager wanted to do and thankfully we’re here now and ready for Sunday.”
Kavanagh has 36 appearances in his first season, scoring three goals - two of which came in the last two rounds of the Cup against Treaty United and Shamrock Rovers.
“With the players we brought in, I wouldn't say we were ahead of schedule as the boys are already winners,” continued Kavanagh, who spent last year on loan at Bray.
“The likes of Patrick McEleney and Michael Duffy are winners and it's great to have them with us.
“It was a tough decision but for me to get playing, to make the most of my career, the right decision was to go to Derry.
“I believe in myself and it wasn't about anyone else's decision or what people thought, it was about how I could get better.
“Maybe the drive up is difficult but you get used to it! I've never lived away from home and that was the decision at the start.
“But I’m in a house now with four of the lads - Brian Maher, Cameron McJannett and Declan Glass.”
Kavanagh was on the bench for Rovers when they beat Dundalk on penalties in the 2019 FAI Cup final, so he knows the score on these big days.
Although he didn’t play that day, he got a medal and takes pride in it but would love to add a second to the collection this weekend - and with a more meaningful contribution on the day.
“In Derry, the fans don’t think about anything else,” added Kavanagh.
“It’s just Derry City because there’s no other club. It’s brilliant because it brings everyone together - us against everyone else.
“You could be in Tesco and you’ll end up chatting to fans for half an hour. They tell you about the club years ago and wish you well in the games.
“It’s a game of football on Sunday, but we want to win every game we play, and if you’re coming to Aviva without thinking of winning it, you shouldn’t be here.”.
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