Doherty rues individual mistakes

Shelbourne interim boss Kevin Doherty believes that individual mistakes were to blame for his sides 3-0 defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night.

Despite the positivity of the first 45, the second half was similar to what the fans have been witnessing over the past number of months. “Individual mistakes [were to blame]. You can trace every goal back, the first one shouldn’t have got across into the box, Fagan gets in between the two of them. The second one, mistake, goes and scores. The third one, header from a corner, you just can’t do that.”

It was a frantic 24 hours for Shels interim boss Kevin Doherty who was informed of his new role on Thursday afternoon. A day later Doherty watched on as his resilient young Shels side lost 3-0 to St.Patrick’s Athletic.

After the turmoil of the past number of weeks and months, Doherty was impressed by aspects of the performance and the attitude shown by the players. “I thought the first 45 we more then matched them. Given that we are completely down to the bare bones, I mean I had lads sitting on the bench that were injured tonight. I thought we were excellent in the first half, I thought we kept our shape. Our whole game plan was working grand, we let them have it up to a point, they ended up a lot of times having to kick it out of play. We were frustrating them, they were playing everything in front of us.  In the first half we probably had the better chances, Stephen Sheerin had a good effort and we had a couple of half chances, we had more then them I thought.”

With only 24 hours to prepare a side for a Dublin Derby, Doherty did his best to implement a shape and a structure. “I couldn’t change much, I worked on a few things. We went in training late last night after we got the news. The fact that I was in charge of it and put my own little stamp on it maybe showed. It was working but individual mistakes just kills you and it’s very hard to eradicate them.”

Whoever does takeover at Tolka Park will be encouraged by the young talent on show. “We had a lad making his debut in the middle of the park Stephen Sheerin who is under 19. I thought he was fantastic for his debut. We have young lads Jack Memery, Rob Cornwall, Alex Prizeman, going right the way back to the goalkeeper. When you look at what Pats have, to compete with them as well as we did in the first half I thought we did really well.”

Discipline was again an issue for Shels as they finished with only ten on the field after Memery was sent off for a high boot on Ger O’Brien. “There’s very little a manager or a coach can do only discipline the players themselves, and that has happened. We’ve fined them wages, particularly to the ones who have got stupid sendings off. To be honest I wouldn’t blame Jack tonight, he has his eye on the ball the whole time. It was sort of like the Nani one with Man United, he’s looking at the ball, puts his foot in the air, absolutely no intent to do Ger O’Brien in any way, shape or form, but if that’s the rules then it’s a red card.

There have already been numerous applications for the manager’s job according to the Doherty. He however isn’t eligible for the full time manager’s job because he does not have his Pro-Licence. Having been involved with the club for so long he would love to stay involved if the new manager was willing to take him on board. “I would be but I understand that that’s football. Managers do sometimes bring their own staff, particularly if they’ve been working with some before that at another club, that’s understandable. I’d probably do it myself if I was a manager, I’d probably bring in people. I would like to be here, I want to stay here and if the new manager wanted I’d be available to stay.”

A crowd of over 1,400 were in attendance, one of the best of the season and Doherty believes the fans will play a vital role in helping Shels battle relegation over the coming months. “We really, really need them and that’s what it used to be like and the players appreciate it, as much and all as we got beaten and we’re down the players really appreciate it and I do. I know the affection I have for them and they have for me and it’s great. It’s probably one of the biggest crowds I think we’ve had this year and they do help you.”

The interim boss paid tribute to Alan Mathews, a man who has shown a lot of faith in him through the years. “It was difficult because I have the height of respect for Alan, I’ve played for Alan here when he was assistant and I played for him a couple of years at Longford and obviously Alan brought me back in to manage the 19’s and then he brought me up with the first team, so on a personal level it was difficult. But in fairness Alan was great, Alan didn’t expect me to leave because he was going.  I know a lot of managers would, I’m the only one left bar Jonny Watson the kitman. Alan took the pressure off me to make that decision.”

Next up for Shels in the league is Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium next Friday. One aspect they need to improve drastically is their goal-scoring ratio, having only scored six league goals from 14 games thus far this season. “We’re struggling for bodies. Mark Leech played up front and he done ok. Then I’ve Dean Kelly and Philly Hughes coming on and the two of them have groin strains so that will show you how we’re struggling. Our biggest threat was probably from Stephen Sheerin breaking from midfield. We have to look more of a threat, we have to do something about that.”