'The inconsistency is insane': Ollie O'Neill blasts Derry City's ref justice

The 20 year-old Fulham loanee hasn't been afforded much time to adapt to the League of Ireland since his late February switch to Derry but already he's become accustomed to the regularity of some contentious and costly decisions from match referees in the top flight of Irish football.

Match officials have come under intense scrutiny for a string of controversial decisions across the league in the opening weeks of the season and Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins this week blasted the performances of referees who officiated his team's last four home matches for getting big calls wrong.

Those decisions, including a red card issued to Cameron McJannet against Drogheda, Jamie McGonigle's goal which was disallowed against Sligo and that decisive penalty award to Bohemians on Monday night, have contributed to the loss of 10 points from this last four matches at Brandywell.

O'Neill was penalised on Monday when he appeared to get to the ball first inside the penalty area and use his body to turn Twardek who subsequently fell to the ground. The Londoner held his head in his hands in disbelief when his eye caught Mr Doyle pointing to the spot just as he cleared the ball.

Given Derry were denied a penalty themselves shortly before that incident when Ben Doherty was bundled to the ground inside the penalty area by Bohs defender Grant Horton, O'Neill was incensed by the 'inconsistency' of referee's decisions.

"I stepped in front of him and cleared the ball away which is never a foul at any level of football," claimed the Ireland U21 international. "I've come from Academy football and people are telling me I'm coming into a physical league and then you get blown up for fouls like that which doesn't really add up.

"The Ben Doherty one was worse because Ben was in front and on to the ball so the inconsistency within about five minutes is insane.

"That's four weeks on the spin now where this outside factor goes, 'we're going to change this game of football like that', and I don't know where the accountability is or what the setup is like in terms of refereeing across the league.

"It's hard to take but you have to try and keep the head and deal with it. It's just that kind of flip of a coin where they just change the game, it's bizarre. In fairness the pressure we applied during the last 10 or 15 minutes was a good reaction.

"It's a game we didn’t deserve to lose, certainly not in that manner. It's decided by other people where it's out of our control.

"It's strange. We feel we've had four weeks on the spin now with some very bizarre decisions continually so make of that what you will. I obviously can't say too much of what I really think but you can all see for yourselves."

While these decisions have been a significant factor in Derry’s poor run of form at Brandywell in recent weeks, O’Neill acknowledges the players must take accountability for some abject displays.

As an attacking player he also believes the team should be creating a lot more chances having scored just once in their last four home matches.

"We're probably not happy about the way we're playing but we would still be confident that the players we have and the players we have to come back into it, that we’ll click and start firing sooner rather than later.”

Adam O’Reilly returned to the fold for his first league start since the opening match of the season but Higgins’ team has no doubt been hamstrung, forgive the pun, by the notable injury list. It’s an excuse that just doesn’t wash for O’Neill.

“We also had a very good 11 starting tonight and we deserved much more out of the game. We have to take more points at home, it's as simple as that.”

Travelling to Dundalk on Sunday might be a welcome relief for Higgins’ troops and O’Neill insists it’s only a matter of time before they click into gear.

"We enjoy playing at home but onto Sunday now and Dundalk. It will be another proper game to get ready for and put in a performance and get three points.

“We know we need to improve it but I don't think we're worried in the sense that we have enough quality and it will click. We've missed chances during that time myself included which we probably wouldn't miss again. So it will come.”

Monday’s performance was much improved from the shock 1-0 loss to Drogheda on Good Friday but having failed to score from open play in the previous five matches now, they will need to be at their best if they’re to clinch victory at Oriel Park.

“I don't know if Brian (Maher) had many saves to make if any at all against Bohs which again is the frustrating thing about it then being decided which is so far out of our control.

"We probably need a little bit more quality from all of us in the final third to convert our dominance into goals and chances but in terms of a performance it was definitely better than Friday night,” he added. “There was more commitment and application so I'm sure it will come good in time.”