Institute manager Brian Donaghey wants good performances turned into points

Manager Brian Donaghey admits Institute need to start turning good performances into results.
Institute gaffer Brian Donaghey felt his side deserved more at Warrenpoint Town. Picture by George SweeneyInstitute gaffer Brian Donaghey felt his side deserved more at Warrenpoint Town. Picture by George Sweeney
Institute gaffer Brian Donaghey felt his side deserved more at Warrenpoint Town. Picture by George Sweeney

Donaghey, for the second week running, was pleased by his team’s performance - this time at title chasing Warrenpoint Town - but he told his players they need to start picking up points if they harbour hopes of moving up the Lough 41 Championship table.

The Waterside men currently sit four points clear of Paul Kee’s Harland & Wolff Welders and seven points above bottom side Dergview, but Donaghey feels his squad is capable of much more.

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"You get a bit fed up with good performances and no points,” he insisted.

"Two managers in a row have told me after the game that ‘we’re the best team we’ve played’, but we’re coming away with zero points.

"However, in saying that, we can’t fault lads because for 75 minutes it was as good an away performance as you could have had but goals change games and Mark McFadden had a good chance, ‘Bushy’ (Cathair Friel) also had a good chance.

"I have to admit I never saw us losing the game and that’s why we went quite forceful in the last 30 minutes by bringing on two attackers and an attacking midfielder to win the game but, to be honest, losing the game was a hard one to take.

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"However, we can't be having this conversation every Monday and I understand it is a results driven business, but I do understand that we're getting as much as we can out of the lads.

"I think my keeper had one save to make throughout the whole game, away from home against Warrenpoint, so there's positives to take from Saturday but I'm a wee bit fed up with the pats on the back and the hard luck stories."

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Donaghey was also quick to point out Warrenpoint keeper, Conor Mitchell, made a top drawer save to deny McFadden, and it was a big moment in the contest.

"I haven't watched it back but I've been told the keeper just spreads himself and by a pure miracle he gets something to it," he added.

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"I have to say that it was a really worked chance, something like 20 odd passes and it fell to Mark. I would have loved it if he had scored, for his own benefit as well, because he tries hard and he has contributed with goals in the past and I know his time will come again.

"’Bushy’ had a chance just before half-time and we also had a 3v2 and a 2v1 situations and we missed up those opportunities.

"All these things happened in the first half against a very accomplished Warrenpoint team so, as I said, we can take some positives but I don’t want it to be a hard luck story all the time.

"I went through this a few years ago with a very, very good ’Stute team, with everybody saying, 'Oh you’re a great wee team to play against’. I don’t want that.”

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