By John Haughey BBC Sport

Stephen Kenny will be in the dugout with Paul Hegarty on Sunday

Stephen Kenny will be back in the dugout for one final time at Lansdowne Road before finally severing his ties with the Brandywell club.

The new manager, whether it is Pat Fenlon or not, may want to shake matters up even though the Candystripes only missed out on this year's Eircom League title on goal difference.

"Maybe half of us won't be here next year," reflects the Donegal man.

"There are players out of contract here and there will be players who will wonder if their face will fit with the new manager.

"But as I said to the boys, it doesn't really matter who is here next year or who isn't. This is your team at the minute and it's your last chance to win something major this year."

Hegarty appears confident that his players have been heeding his message since they returned to training after missing out on the league title.

"We came back to training on the Tuesday and the training was exceptional.

If we had had to play the cup final five or six days after the last league game, we would have struggled big time. Paul Hegarty

"I would have expected that from professional players but I still have to commend their attitude."

Hegarty believes the two-week gap between the final league game against Cork and the cup decider has benefited the prospects of a Derry victory.

"If we had had to play the cup final five or six days after the last league game, we would have struggled big time.

"The fact that we have had two weeks to prepare is massive for us.

"St Pat's will be well-rested as well but if we can perform to our full potential, there's no reason why we can't win the cup."

Hegarty has a healthy respect for "a very good St Pat's side" but he has been reminding the Derry players that they claimed two wins and a draw against the Richmond Park outfit in the league this season.

Mark Farren goes into Sunday's final in tremendous form

"I know a lot of people are saying about us being tired but I think the boys have come back to training rejuvenated and that they have the hunger and the focus for the cup final."

Of the Derry squad, nobody is likely to go into the game in better spirits that striker Mark Farren.

Farren's three goals is as many games kept Derry's title ambitions alive to the very final moments of the Eircom League season and he adds that "it's a bit disappointing that the season is ending now".

"When you get into form, you want to keep playing games and you are really enjoying your football," says Farren.

"Hopefully I can carry that form into the cup final."

After all the emotion of last Sunday's final rugby international at Lansdowne before the stadium gets its massive overhaul, this weekend's FAI Cup decider will be the last soccer encounter before ground redevelopment works begins.

Farren hasn't played at Lansdowne Road before and he acknowledges that he's delighted at the opportunity to play in the old stadium.

"It will be a big occasion for us and our families," adds Farren.