Derry City's Ben Doherty still has hopes of completing Irish League and League of Ireland double

​Ruaidhri Higgins has recognised that Doherty's talents belong further up the pitch on the left wing given his attacking potency and accuracy with his deliveries into the box and he gave him license to thrill against Shelbourne.

Doherty's defensive skills were put to the test against Neil Farrugia and later Sean Gannon in the narrow loss to Shamrock Rovers last Monday night in Tallaght where he produced a mature, assured display.

Earlier in the season at the same venue his marauding run from deep resulted in Derry taking the lead in a 2-1 victory against the Dubliners, demonstrating his ability at both ends of the pitch. Against Cork at Brandywell the previous Friday he finished his lung-busting run on the left with a deliciously timed cut-back for Tiernan McGinty to score his first senior goal.

The City boss described the Culmore man as a 'revelation' since returning for a second spell at his hometown club this season and against Shels his excellent performance on the left wing was a far cry from the baby-faced youngster who left for Glenavon in December 2018.

"Ben's been excellent since he's walked through the door to be honest and long may it continue," said Higgins. "People were maybe questioning it (Ben's signing) because they remembered him as a 19 or 20 year-old at Derry, a wee chubby face but he's a man now."An absolute athlete, a model professional and he's been a revelation since he's come to the club."

Doherty is clearly happiest when he's contributing to goals and assists and on Friday night he was Derry's primary attacking outlet, capping an excellent individual display with that 25 yard rocket.

"I'm delighted to get on the scoresheet. I wish it could've been a winner or took us closer to a win but in the circumstances and I think all things considered it was probably a fair enough point in the end.

"It's one we'll take and move on with. We had the momentum at that stage and then just a wee lapse in concentration from ourselves and maybe a harsh decision I think.

"They broke away and we had bodies getting back and I think Adam (O'Reilly) slipped and the ref was quick to reach for his red card which I felt was very harsh at the time.

"Seeing it back it was harsh and I think there was a penalty in there for us as well but those are the decisions you just hope turn for you now between now and the end of the season.

"If we kept 11 men on the pitch there was only one team going to win it."

He's enjoying that more advanced role on the left and he was delighted to add a little magic with that stunning strike, in the absence of so many of the club's matchwinners.

"The gaffer has moved me up to a wingback role where I can get a wee bit more advanced where I like to play, coming onto the ball and putting balls into the box.

"When we had the two boys in there at the end it gave me something to hit. When you have people like Brandon Kavanagh I can play off and get myself higher up the pitch.

"I'm someone who bases myself off numbers, goals and assists. They've been good my whole career and hopefully I can keep adding to that this year."

Doherty received his Irish League winners' medal from Larne recently and he admits he's never lost belief that Derry can match that success this season, even when pundits were writing off their chances after last Monday night's defeat to Rovers.

"We're a point closer to Rovers than we were yesterday and that's the positive we have to take from the game. We have a week now to get some of our matchwinners back into the team against Sligo at home and then we go again.

"This league is crazy, week by week the table is always changing. We'll look after ourselves and see where we're at in a few weeks."It was one game on Monday and everyone has written us off already, it's not nice as players but there's a strong squad in there.

"There's a lot of experience in there, your Patrick McEleneys, Mark Connollys, Shane McEleneys. Everyone is pulling in the same direction and we know what we need to do.

"It probably hasn't been good enough from ourselves in terms of getting results but we’ve been playing good football and I think it's just a matter of time before our luck turns and we get those match winners back and someone who can produce those wee moments of magic and hopefully take you to three points and hopefully we can go on a run.

"Patrick McEleney and Mickey Duffy for me are probably two of if not the two best players in this league and I don’t think any squad would cope without them.

“It's just a matter of us, the team that goes out there, carrying the mantle until those boys are able to come back and contribute. “Hopefully between now and the end of the season they can get a run of games themselves and get back up to full fitness and start producing those moments of magic we're used to seeing."

Doherty would join an exclusive club of players who have won an Irish League and League of Ireland championships in the same year should he help Derry bridge a 26 years gap this term.

"I played my part in it," he said of Larne's title triumph. "I'm not a glory hunter. I wasn't up (at the title celebrations) with my kit on and all that craic.

"The people at the club look after you and if you're one of them they'll make sure you're looked after.

"As soon as they won it, the manager Tiernan Lynch and the general manager Niall Curneen both gave me a call and said they have my medal and my jersey. It was a nice touch from them and I'm really grateful for it."

Now it's time to complete the collection.

"That's the message they gave me so we'll try our best," he smiled.