Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MCDONAGH EASES PRESSURE..
Substitute’s cracker earns Glens vital points and stats a fact that was really worth talking about
GLENTORAN’S Mick Mcdermott has come out swinging at his critics by challenging them to “have a big dig” at him in future.
Having splashed the cash again during the January transfer window to bring Conor Mcmenamin and Rhys Marshall to the club, the Oval boss has been accused of building a bloated squad lacking in rhythm and consistency.
Certainly the team’s results so far this season have been underwhelming but a last-gasp home win over Cliftonville on Saturday, sealed by a wonder goal from sub
Jamie Mcdonagh, could be the catalyst for an upturn in fortunes.
Yet while
Mcdermott claims to be unaffected by the white noise surrounding his side, he clearly feels he has heard enough of it.
Armed with a battery of statistics, he said after the game: “We’ve conceded 14 goals, eight from set plays and six in the run of play, three at Linfield.
“We’ve only conceded three goals in the run of play against all the other teams.
“People have had a go at our away record, three points out of 21.
“But we’re the only team in the league who has played the top six, Crusaders twice, in seven away games.
“It’s hard to win away against the top six.
“So when some people in the media are having a wee dig, I would say ‘have a big dig. Stick the boot in’, because I know what we’ve got here and I know where we’re going. “I’ve never been worried because we’ve been playing well.
“Ballymena are the most successful team on the road (against the top six) until today with nine points.
“So when we’ve got three, are we happy with it? No, but it’s in the mix with what all the other teams are doing.”
There was plenty of intrigue ahead of Cliftonville’s visit to east Belfast, with some eyebrows raised at the deal that saw Mcmenamin leave the Reds in exchange for a lump of cash plus talented young striker Paul O’neill.
Yet while the game was a slow burner, Mcdonagh’s
90th minute scorcher from 25-yards certainly lit a flame under Mcdermott, who was in a bullish mood afterwards.
“That’s 34 games at The Oval since we came in here – three losses. It’s not a bad return,” he added.
“Some of the football we played today was top quality, against a quality team.
“Just last week I was reading that Cliftonville are now as strong as any team in the league after their transfer window. And we had a really poor transfer window, apparently.
“If we’d said we could sign Rhys Marshall and Conor Mcmenamin a month ago, people would have said we were mad.
“But apparently our transfer window wasn’t good because a couple of people in the media stuck their wee boot in. But I’d say, ‘Stick a big boot in. Wedge it right in’.
“Because we’ll see at the end of the season where we are and we won’t forget the ones that stick the wee boot in.”