Patrick McClean warns 'we're not too good to go down' as Derry City lose to Galway

Tiernan Lynch claimed his struggling team lost the fight against Galway United and told them in the dressing room afterwards, 'You can't coach desire'.

It was a damning reaction from the manager who will be under renewed pressure after a SEVENTH loss of the season.

One win in their last nine games has left them trailing leaders Shamrock Rovers, whom they meet in Tallaght on Monday by a staggering 18 points after 23 games! But Derry aren't looking upwards. Second from bottom Sligo Rovers, despite losing to St Pat's on Friday night, are just six points behind the Candy Stripes with a game in hand.

Considering the financial investment in Lynch's squad over the past 16 months, they are perilously close to being involved in a relegation dogfight and McClean didn't mince his words after Friday's 2-1 loss at Pearse Stadium.

"It seems that way," the defender answered when asked if they feared getting embroiled in a dogfight at the bottom.

"There's no getting away from it. It was said in there; 'we're not too good to go down'. I think we need to start looking at ourselves and things a bit differently because the way this season has been, it hasn't been good enough. We need to start putting results in."

McClean and his elder brother James who came on as a second half substitute in Salthill, approached the small band of Derry supporters who made the journey west and exchanged words. The Derry fans voiced their frustrations and McClean understands why emotions are high amongst a disillusioned fanbase.

"We know it's not good enough," he admitted. "They're paying money to come watch us. If you look at the Sligo game on the first game of the season, the buzz around the place, the atmosphere, you're thinking 'what a season we're going to have'.

"If you're looking at that tonight and there's only a handful of people. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Myself and James are fans, as are a lot of the players. It's not just us. We know it's frustrating so it's just about going over and having that relationship with the fans.

"I don't take it personally but it's very frustrating. You support a team in the Premier League [in England] and you watch them every week and think 'how can they not perform', said McClean who is an avid Man United fan.

"They're on all this money; they train every day and they go out and put in a performance like that. That's the same thing. For me I get it. All I can do is keep working hard and keep doing my best and helping the team as much as I can."

City boss Lynch felt his team lost the battle on the pitch against the Galwegians who have taken seven points from a possible nine in their three meetings this season so far.

That assessment was difficult to hear from a defender who prides himself in not backing down from a fight on the pitch.

"It's a tough one to take as a centre half, someone who loves the fight. So for me to hear those comments has definitely hurt the ego but you can't argue with it."

Stephen Walsh bagged a brace to sink Derry despite Michael Duffy's late penalty and McClean admits Galway's record appearance holder won the battle on the night.

"He's a good player. You know what you're going to get. He's a big physical lad and those are the challenges I love. He's obviously put two in the net tonight so I think he's won that one."

It's a quick turnaround to Rovers in Tallaght on Monday night for Derry and despite the alarming display against Galway and another defeat, McClean reckons it's exactly the challenge they need to get a response.

"After last week, we were thinking we'd kick on now and had turned a corner but it just seems we've taken one step forward and 10 steps back.

"There's no better place to go on Monday night than Tallaght and Shamrock Rovers. That's where we want to be: up challenging and playing in Europe every single year. We know what we have to do on Monday!"