Nugent our best player again, despite losing 2- 1

IT was always going to be hard to get a result in Derry but with four regulars missing, the task was always going to be more difficult. It does give players who haven’t featured regularly an opportunity to play and at this stage of the season gives players a chance to earn a contract for next season.

Derry and Kenny Shiels have been the team and manager of the season for me and their achievement this season is something we can hopefully replicate next season.

He has recruited well through his contacts but hasn’t been afraid to throw in youngsters.

They play a lovely brand of football and deservedly got the better of us last weekend.

We had periods where we did well and Roberts had an effort off the bar in the first half but it was Nugent ( pictured) again who was our best player thwarting them on countless occasions.

We did go in at half time with the lead thanks to an excellent fin- ish from the industrious McCann.

The second half the first with them

They got the two three points and as served to win the

We were flat on enough players at it the game.

The highlight of the game was seeing young Paul Doyle making his debut for the club.

It’s an obvious great night for him personally but a huge honour for his family and Westport.

I would love to see a few more of the young lads thrown in this weekend against Wexford Youths.

This Friday we play our final game and it would be nice to finish with a good performance and a big crowd in what has been a decent season after a few dodgy ones.

I think if we were offered fifth at the start of the season we would have taken it happily.

Dundalk have finally been confirmed champions and joined an elite and small group to have achieved three league titles in a row.

They are relentless in their pursuit of success and we may not appreciate them fully now but in years to come they will be truly appreciated for the great side they are.

The schedule they have is crazy but they have got on with it and during this period competed admirably with one of the strongest teams in the Europa league Zenith St Petersburg.

They were outstanding for 70 minutes last Thursday but another goalkeeping error and running out of steam caught them out in the end.

It’s half way through the group stages and it’s all going to come down to the last two group games to see if they can qualify for the last sixteen.

Stephen can tinker with the squad for the next two league games and with the league in the bag he can use his squad players and maybe some of the nineteen lads.

This group of lads now have the chance of a double double which would be an amazing achievement considering they will be playing in Russia three days before the final.

Our under 17s had an inspiring win in Bishopstown last Saturday against a Cork side fancied to win the competition.

This is a real talented and hungry group of players who have a real chance of going all the way.

The semi final is on this weekend and they have been drawn away to UCD so they are definitely going to have to win it the hard way.

UCD are fresh from winning the under 19s and they will be keen to add the 17s title as well but we have a talented group who are very focused and hopefully they can do it. was much the same as dominating the match. goals to give them the I said earlier they degame. the night and never had to take anything out of