Strabane Weekly News - Sports - Derry boss outraged by dismissal

Sports

Derry boss outraged by dismissal

Thursday, 2 February 2012

DERRY manager John Brennan was outraged by the first half dismissal of midfielder James Conway in Saturday's Power NI Dr McKenna Cup final.
The straight red card issued to the Ballinderry man after 18 minutes had a major effect on the game.
Derry surrendered a six points lead and fell seven behind before staging a late rally and losing by three.
“Derry were controlling the game up until that particular incident. We had a comfortable lead at that particular stage," said Brennan.
“I just wonder as to how a man at 100 metres away had better vision than the other linesman, who was approximately five metres away, who said there's nothing. 'The fellow dived', was the words he said.
“And then he turns round and issues a straight red card, which was the turning point. It was so early in the game that we couldn't sustain, and it gave Tyrone the freedom through the middle, which they exploited and took their chances."
Brennan also cited Mulligan's goal as a severe setback, but praised his players for the manner in which they fought back late in the game.
Critical time
“We were disappointed at the goal we conceded at a critical time before half-time, and invariably, a point follows a goal, and that happened, and they got four points at that stage, which brought them back into it.
“We were always going to have an uphill battle, but we brought it back to three points, which is not bad having played for so long with 14 players.
“I'm just sorry for the players, I'm sorry for the spectators. I think it would have been a good spectacle had it remained as such."
Meanwhile, Tyrone midfielder Mickey Murphy is delighted to have put an injury nightmare behind him and resumed his inter-county career.
Murphy received the man of the match award at the Athletic Grounds and has been one of the Red Hands' best players in the pres-season competition.
A broken ankle sustained in 2007 took two and a half years to heal, and he didn't kick a ball from September of that year until the early part of 2010.
“It was a difficult couple of years for me, and I'm just thankful to get the opportunity to get back in and play a bit of football," he said.
“Hopefully I can keep it going, that's the aim - to keep it going and keep playing.
“I broke my ankle playing with the club in September '07 and I never played again until 2010.
“I got an operation in Belfast and it didn't really work out for me, and I had to go to London then to get an operation.
Long rehab period
“It was a long rehab period. I did every rehab programme there was to try and get back, but it just didn't feel right.
“It just kept breaking down, it just wasn't healed right, that was the problem, but thankfully I have got my chance to get back now."
Now he is hoping he has played his way into contention for a starting spot in this weekend's NFL opener against Kildare.
“I'm enjoying my football, but it's still early days and I'm not getting carried away.
“There's a lot of competition for places in this team, from 19-year-olds to 35-year-olds.
“We have it all here, and every player is a brilliant player, so it's important to keep the head down, keep working and fight to keep my place.
“Even the young players who have come in have done brilliantly in the McKenna Cup and they're pushing hard for places, even with the older players there."