Shiels relieved after winning return to the Brandywell

DERRY CITY manager Kenny Shiels has admitted that he felt the pressure heading into their return to the Brandywell on Monday night.

The Candystripes marked the opening of the renovated venue with a 5-0 win over Limerick that took the weight off his shoulders.

They had been forced to play their first four games of the season away from home due to a delay in building work and then the snow postponed the grand opening.

Martin O’Neill was present for the Limerick game and Derry delivered a performance to thrill an expectant crowd, with loanee Ronan Hale firing in a hat-trick.

Ironically, Hale and his brother Rory – who joined permanently from Galway over the winter – are two examples of players who left the Northern Ireland set-up to declare for the Republic. That’s a topical subject.

Shiels was focused on his own patch and said he took pleasure from sending a large crowd home happy on a night where the late Ryan McBride and Mark Farren were honoured.

“The average guy from the Brandywell, the Creggan and Shantallow, they’ve been deprived of their weekly trip or fortnightly trip down to see their local team (since 2016),” said Shiels.

SATISFIED

“I’m sure they went home satisfied. I felt responsible that we had to deliver. I’m the guy who makes the selections and makes the mistakes and I wanted to make sure they had a good time.”

That was supposed to be their first of three games at the venue in the space of a week.

Beleaguered Bray travel north on Friday but Monday’s clash with Dundalk has been put back to May 14 due to a raft of international call-ups (Shiels has players in IFA and FAI underage squads). Next Friday’s trip to Cork is off too and refixed for June 4.

Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny was frustrated after a third scoreless draw of the campaign against St Patrick’s Athletic at Inchicore. “I can’t say we were exceptional but we certainly created enough to win the game,” he sighed. “We’ve missed a lot so we need to be more ruthless.”

Cork City boss John Caulfield was thrilled by the application of his younger players as they responded from Friday’s reverse in Dundalk to edge Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross.

“This team took a lot of criticism after Friday night. They played well within themselves and we were deservedly beaten,” he said.

“We had a back four playing together for the first time (on Monday) and the young lads (Sean) McLoughlin and (Conor) McCarthy were outstanding. The lads did a bit of work together on Sunday but it’s different when you’re in a cauldron like that.”

Cork are joint top of the table with Waterford who take on Dundalk in Oriel Park on Friday.