Derry City's FAI Cup clash in Drogheda can't come quick enough for Declan Devine

The City manager maintains it was ‘a missed opportunity’ as defensive errors saw his side fall to a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Lithuanian outfit, FK Riteriai in Vilnius.

And he reckons the Candy Stripes have a point to prove at United Park as they attempt to bounce back.

Devine insists he doesn’t underestimate the magnitude of tomorrow afternoon’s second round tie against the First Division side who are unbeaten in their last five outings since the league’s resumption.

However, he has belief that his players can secure the club’s place in the quarter-finals and go on to have a successful FAI Cup campaign.

“The game can’t come quick enough to be honest as the players are hurting more than anybody on the back of Tuesday,” said Devine.

“I’m under no illusions going to Drogheda,” he added. “It’s going to be an extremely difficult game. Myself and Paddy (McCourt) were down last week to watch them. They’ve good players and are a good side.

“It’s a notoriously difficult venue for us but that doesn’t mean we’re not going down there very confident.

“We’ve scored five goals in our last two games. We’re not playing poorly. We just need to tidy up in certain aspects of our play.

“I believe in these players so much,” stressed Devine. “We’ve dominated a European game away from home and came home with nothing.

“We’ve dominated Cork in the Brandywell in a 3-1 win. We have so much attacking power in the team that we shouldn’t have to wait until the opposition scores to get a reaction.

“We’ve got to be more aggressive in our approach to games and put teams to bed.

“I feel we can have a very successful FAI Cup campaign but we’re not getting carried away. We’ve got to go to Drogheda and get a win. We understand it’s a difficult game but our focus is solely on Saturday now.

“We won’t look past the magnitude of the task. We have to go there to win but we’re confident. We also know we have a point to prove on the back of the European game.”

A place in the next round would be the perfect tonic for Tuesday’s Euro heartache but Devine refuses to entertain talk of going all the way in the competition just yet!

“There’s nobody looking at winning trophies here at the minute. We just want into the hat for the next round and then we can park that bus.

“Ultimately do I think this group of players are good enough to have a successful season? Absolutely! We’re only three or four points off the top three again.

“If we can manage a win on Saturday, we’re two games away from a final. So there’s a lot of big prizes left. We just need to have belief.”

It’s been a surreal season as the world of football comes to terms with the Covid-19 pandemic. After defeat in a one-off European match this week, should Derry defeat Drogheda they would have to wait until the league campaign is completed in November before contesting the quarter-finals.

And it’s something Devine still can’t quite get his head around.

“It’s such a crazy season - the maddest season I’ve ever been involved in,” he admitted. “In the European game away from home it’s crazy you have to set up and be expansive to try and take teams on.

“It’s crazy you’re playing an FAI Cup game at the end of August and then potentially won’t play in it again until November.

“There’s so much at stake in this period and every team is finding their feet and there are so many shocks. I’ve no doubt there will be shocks this weekend. We’ve just got to make sure it’s not us.”

Walter Figueira and Jack Malone were both pulled from Tuesday’s Europa League qualifier having both tweaked their hamstrings.

It was a major blow for Devine and he will wait until the final hour until making a decision on their availability for tomorrow’s game. Conor Clifford sustained a broken nose and concussion during extra-time on Tuesday and will be sidelined for the next couple of games at least.

New signing, Cameron McJannett, however, is in contention for his debut after serving his two week quarantine.