BRENDAN Cullen will never forget his first trip to Wembley Stadium – he was there to watch Crystal Palace win the club’s first-ever major trophy.
‘It was a pinch yourself moment,’ the well-known Bandon AFC captain beams, still smiling days after Palace stunned Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final.
‘Supporting Palace is unique in a way – you’d probably know a couple of hundred people who support Liverpool or Man United, whereas there are not too many Palace fans in West Cork.’
But Crystal Palace fans living locally are making themselves heard this week, as they bask in the glory of the club’s greatest day. There in Wembley to soak it all in was Brendan, his brother Darren and dad Andy. All three are Palace fans, and all three were there to watch Eberechi Eze score the cup-final winning goal that sparked huge celebrations that have followed the Cullens back home to Bandon.
‘At the final whistle, when we knew Palace had won, I had never seen dad as emotional like that before, it was a special moment for him,’ Brendan explains.
‘The whole of Bandon town knows dad is a Palace fan. He works in Topline Kellehers in Bandon and the amount of people who called in on Monday to say congratulations; everyone knows how much it means.’
Darren, Andy and Brendan on Wembley Way ahead of the game.
Andy is Bandon AFC royalty. He is the club vice president and lotto coordinator. Before that, he was a legend on the pitch, and we’re reliably informed he scored ‘hundreds and hundreds of goals’ for his club. Andy is also the reason his sons Brendan and Darren support Crystal Palace. And Darren’s twin five-year-old boys, Bobby and Freddie, are signed-up Palace fans, too.
‘My grandparents moved to London for work, my dad was born there and they moved back to Ireland when he was a kid – Palace were the local team when dad was there so he became a fan. The rest is history,’ says Brendan, who has been leading the Bandon AFC attack season after season. Darren is hands-on, too, having played and coached, and lines out with the over-33s team.
The Cullens were on tour last weekend. Andy, Brendan and Darren flew out on Saturday morning, arrived in London early to soak up the atmosphere and made a beeline for Wembley.
‘It was bouncing over there, it was electric from the morning on,’ Brendan says, and they travelled in hope despite Manchester City providing the opposition. ‘You always felt we had a chance because while City before wouldn’t leak a goal, this team will give you a chance or two, it's whether you can take it or not.’
Bobby and Freddie Cullen cheering on Crystal Palace.
And Crystal Palace took their opportunity – Eze swept home a brilliant finish after a quickfire Palace breakaway.
‘It was a pinch yourself moment, the place went nuts,’ Brendan says.
‘We only played City a few weeks ago and we went up 2-0 but lost 5-2, so you’re never comfortable against them. You couldn’t believe it until the final whistle went, and when it did the place just erupted.
‘We were inside the stadium for an hour after the game , the buzz was class.’
Incredible memories were made last weekend, and with the prize of Europa League football awaiting Palace next season, the Cullens will be eager to get across to Selhurst Park even more.
‘Dad would go every week if he could!’ Brendan laughs, and after so many heartbreaking moments over the years, they’ll all enjoy this triumph.
‘My brother was at the 2016 final we lost to Man United. My dad was at the semi-final in 2022 that we lost to Chelsea, so we’ve come close before. This was the first time the three of us got to the final,’ he adds, and it’s a trip they’ll never forget.
