PAIN & GAIN

Conroy: We’ll use play-off hurt to fuel promotion bid next term

Ryan Conroy has vowed to use Airdrieonians playoff heartbreak to build a promotion push for next season.

The 30-year-old midfielder feels the Diamonds have shown they have enough quality to go for top spot in League One next season after their penalty shoot-out defeat to Alloa.

With the tie finishing 1-1 after two legs and 210 minutes of football, former New Broomfield keeper Neil Parry saved Kieran MacDonald and Iain Russell’s spot kicks to settle the tie.

Conroy, who was a key figure in the run to the top four, admits that the players are gutted they couldn’t make it to the final and repay the huge Diamonds support at Recreation Park.

However, he believes the players will improve from the experience.

“When the game ends like that it’s a really hard one to take,” he told the Advertiser.

“Over the two legs I think we played well enough to get through, but it’s just unfortunate the way that the game turned out.

“To be fair, their goal was some strike. That seems to have happened to us a lot this season.

“We’ve looked back on the game and think it’s come down to a brilliant piece of individual skill that cost us.

“We have to be big enough to take that on the chin.

“We had a few half chances after that – but I think there was a feeling in the team that it was going to go to penalties.

“It’s a bit of a lottery, but that makes it more disappointing.

“We are all devastated, but there isn’t anything we can do about it now, we just have to look forward.

“We need to take something from the games for next year and keep building and improving.

“Over the two legs we showed that we have a good base of talented players that proved how good they can be against one of the best teams in the division.

“Hopefully this time next year we will be looking at winning it.”

Recover Ryan Conroy wants to use the experience for a promotion bid Devastated The Diamonds players following their penalty shoot-out defeat