Derry City's "Premier Class" was difference admits Drogheda United boss

The former Hibs and Kilmarnock defender reckons his team can take encouragement from the FAI Cup tie into their league campaign despite having come up short against the Candy Stripes.

“We had good shape and tweaked a few things because we needed to have a brilliant performance and needed Derry to have an off-day and for us to maybe get a bit of luck along the line somewhere,” said the Drogs boss.

“We fell a little short but for us to compete like we did for 90 odd minutes before they scored the first goal was very pleasing and also encouraging for us going forward into the last 10 games of the season.

“Derry are a very good team. They are an excellent counter attacking team so giving up possession and us trying to sit in and frustrate them was always going to be a different type of performance for them.

“We tried to reduce as much space as we could in our defensive third and I thought it worked for a long period. But they showed a little bit of quality with a switch of play, a third man run, a good ball in and their man got across the centre half and it is what it is.

“We worked very hard and it was a bit of class Derry had in the end. They’re an excellent team and a very strong team in the Premier Division. So for our lads to be leaving here very disappointed, they were gutted, it shows what they can do. Hopefully that gives us the confidence going into our last 10 games.”

Clancy felt luck deserted his team in the end and questioned two big calls by the match officials. Hugh Douglas went down in the Derry box under pressure from Eoin Toal which sparked protests from the Drogheda bench while Clancy claimed the ball went out of play in the build-up to Derry’s opening goal.

“Listen, you’re going to call for everything. Maybe it was a bit frustrating though because Ben Connolly (fourth official) was beside me.

“It’s weird at Drogheda because one dugout is 40 yards away from the other and he sits on our lap so I could hear him give information into the microphone saying it was a penalty but the referee, Derek (Tomney) didn’t think so. He overruled him.

“It was the same with the first goal. He (Connolly) thought the ball was out of play and I thought it was as well. It was just down the line from me. The linesman couldn’t see it because he’s very close to the ball and it’s hard for him to judge. So a few times Ben gave a bit of information but maybe Derek had a better view, I don’t know. That’s probably the little bit of luck we needed but we can’t complain. We were beaten by a better team.”