Lincoln City Academy graduate Ellis Chapman has won the FAI Cup after playing the full game in Derry City’s 1-0 victory over Waterford at the Aviva Stadium.
The 25-year-old helped the Candystripes secure the trophy in front of 36,093 supporters on Sunday, with Darragh Burns scoring the only goal midway through the second half. It was a winning end to Chapman’s first few months at the Brandywell, having joined Derry from Shelbourne in July.
Chapman had a sight of goal himself in the first half, collecting the ball outside the penalty area before sending a half-volley wide in the 25th minute. Waterford, managed by former Boston United boss Graham Coughlan, hit the crossbar before the break, while Michael Duffy had a goal ruled out for offside as the sides reached half-time level.
Burns eventually made the breakthrough, cutting inside from the right and beating Stephen McMullan with a low, left-footed finish. Derry held on to claim their seventh FAI Cup, securing European football for next summer and a place in the Europa League’s first qualifying round.
For Imps supporters, there is always something pleasing about seeing a player who came through our academy enjoy a moment like that. Chapman was born in Lincoln and followed his dad, Darren, through the club’s youth setup, although his route to our first team included a spell with Leicester City.
He returned to Sincil Bank in 2017 and made his senior debut that October, aged just 16, in the EFL Trophy victory against Everton Under-21s. He went on to make 31 appearances for the Imps across all competitions, including league outings in both League Two and League One.
His next permanent move took him to Cheltenham Town in October 2020, and he was part of their League Two title-winning squad the following season. There was also a loan spell at Oldham Athletic before his career took him across the Irish Sea.
Sligo Rovers proved a productive first stop in 2024, with Chapman scoring nine goals in 34 league appearances. He subsequently joined Shelbourne ahead of the 2025 campaign, then moved to Derry this summer, putting him in position to help deliver Sunday’s cup success.
Chapman’s career has taken him a fair distance from those early appearances in an Imps shirt, but he is still only 25. A major cup winner’s medal and another European campaign to look forward to make this a particularly satisfying chapter for one of our own.
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