Stephen Bradley hailed Shamrock Rovers' double as "special" as the Hoops landed the League of Ireland and the FAI Cup in the same season for the first time in 38 years.
Rory Gaffney's two second-half goals sank Cork City at the Aviva Stadium as they atoned for a trophyless 2024 campaign.
Rovers won the cup under Bradley in 2019 but according to the manager, this year was different.
"When we won the cup before we were a team that was coming," he told RTÉ Sport after the game.
"We knew that we were coming, we knew that we were building.
"Today was all about achieving something that hadn't been done since 1987 at this football club and to do that with Europe in the mix is a special achievement from this group.
"We had three weeks off (at the start of the season), we had 16-17 training days before the league started and today is the result of all our hard work.
"It's something that can never be taken away from us as a group, regardless of what people's opinions are of us, our club, team, whatever. and that's special."
City, as big underdogs, started the game brightly as Rovers, who had played in Europe less than 72 hours previously, looked off the pace.
But Bradley's side gradually grew into the game and when Harry Nevin was shown a deserved straight red card for a poor challenge on Josh Honohan shortly before half-time, the writing appeared to be on the wall.
'This year has been incredible for me personally...it's special' – Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley on a memorable year both on and off the pitch
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 9, 2025
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Like the first 45 minutes, Cork came out of the blocks first, but it became relentless from Rovers as the half wore on.
And they finally broke the deadlock just after the hour mark as Gaffney poked home from close range.
When the Tuam man nabbed his second less than six minutes later, there was no way back for Cork.
"Cork started well," Bradley acknowledged.
"Ed (McGinty) made two good saves early on and it was just about getting through that little period of 15-20 minutes after Greece and the travel and everything that that entails.
"We've learned from previous experience to just get through the first period of the game and we did that and then I thought we took over.
"Obviously the sending off really, really changed it and we just had to be patient then and we had to keep probing and it would come."
Rovers' season isn't over with Conference League games to come against Shakhtar Donetsk, Breidablik and Hamrun, where six points will extend their European season until after Christmas.
For Cork, cup final defeat comes after their relegation from the Premier Division last month.
Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Cork City
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 9, 2025
🟥Cork City are down to 10 men as Harry Nevin is dismissed for a poor challenge on Josh Honohan
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For manager Ger Nash, the sending off for Nevin was a turning point in the game.
"I thought we were in the game and started quite brightly," he said afterwards.
"We knew that Shamrock Rovers, being the good side that they are, would dominate possession and territory.
"In the first 15 or 20 minutes we had a couple of decent chances. Darragh Crowley and Seani Maguire brought good saves out of their keeper.
"When we're playing with 11 men I thought we were comfortable but it gets more difficult when you go down to 10.
"They scored, which was a key moment, and we were just about to make some changes to give us a chance to be more attacking with the 10 men we had.
"The second goal is the key one but the players gave everything and I'm proud of them.
"You have to congratulate Shamrock Rovers, a great achievement on the double."
