Derry are a coming force – Higgins
RUAIDHRI Higgins has vowed that Derry City will ‘be one hell of a team’ when he completes his Foyleside rebuild.
Shorn of aces Patrick McEleney and Michael Duffy, the Candystripes rocked Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday before coughing up a late goal scored by Danny Mandroiu.
While they left empty-handed, and trail the champions by four points, Higgins has pockets full of dreams about where Derry City can go
‘I don’t think many teams come to Tallaght and play as open, brave and courageous as we’ve played and that’s going to be a feature of the team over the next few years,’ he said.
‘We plan to build. We’re going to get there and we are going to be one hell of a team,’ he promised.
Higgins acknowledged that the strength of the Rovers bench swung the game away from Derry in the final 20 minutes but, by then, the points could have been bagged and tagged.
‘Probably the freshness got them a bit of control but for the first 70 minutes we were the better team and should have been one or two in front.
‘We have deserved a minimum of four points over the last five days and we have got one. Ultimately, when you don’t take your chances, it costs you.’
‘In the last four games we’ve taken the lead against Rovers, and Friday night we should have taken the lead a couple of times but (Alan) Mannus makes an unbelievable save.
‘We go away devastated but also knowing that we’re going in the right direction. We’re doing things right.’
‘I think it’s clear to everybody that we’re coming; we’re coming strong and we’re going to be a good team over the next few years.’
Stephen Bradley didn’t deny that Rovers were second best for long periods on Friday, which he put down to a combination of Derry excellence and sloppiness from the champions.
‘In the first half our decisions were poor, our passing was negative, we weren’t aggressive in anything we did,’ he said. We looked indecisive and they took advantage of it. They were very good and Alan (Mannus) kept us in the game with a brilliant save.’
Asked if Derry were the team that had put it up to Rovers the most this year, Bradley paused before suggesting that ‘Pat’s in the President’s Cup gave us a real going over. Who else? Dundalk weren’t bad here and in the first half Derry were very good.’
Derry were more than good and they are a rising force in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division again. And a welcome one at that.