Casey McQuillan: We never underestimated Peamount; we just never clicked

On Saturday evening, Casey McQuillan watched from the sidelines as Shelbourne Ladies let a goal lead slip twice to draw 2-2 with Peamount United in the League Cup.

“We only turned up for about 20 minutes of the game I thought.” McQuillan told extratime.ie

after the game.

“We made wrong decisions at vital times and we didn’t click as a team like we usually do. We had some good phases of play where there was interchanges, but overall I thought attitude won Peamount the point.“

Asked if his side had underestimated their opposition after they defeated Peamount 5-1 earlier in the season, the Shels boss was quick to refute the suggestion.

“I wouldn’t say [that], I know we didn’t on a management side. I’d say maybe we were a little bit [overconfident]. We took our eye off the ball going into the game from the playing side, but I wouldn’t say we underestimated them, no.”

Pressed whether he thought his players had the attitude that if they showed up they won, McQuillan refused to place direct blame upon his players.

Instead he said that the players would have to decide for themselves if that was their mentality heading into Saturday’s clash.

“No, I’m not going to knock my own players. My own players will look at their own game and decide whether they done that or not I can’t speak for them. What I would say looking from the side is I would have expected a bit more.”

Despite losing the lead twice, the Shels boss was pleased that his side were able to regain their goal advantage less than three minutes after conceding prior to half-time.

“Yeah, it is” he said when asked if was disappointing to lose the lead twice. “but it was also pleasing to get the lead back so soon after losing the lead.”

Shelbourne were forced to plan without influential pair Pearl Slattery and Rachel Graham on Saturday, and McQuillan confirmed that the players missed the game due to injury rather than a tactical decision.

“Pearl was injured and also Rachel was a loss for us in the centre of the park. She was injured as well. Yhey weren’t tactical decisions – purely injuries. We didn’t underestimate them.”

Without players of the calibre of Slattery and Graham, along with the now departed Katie McCabe, the Shels boss was quick to explain other members of his squad still have a bit of work to do before they can replace the missing trio.

“We also lost Katie McCabe so you’ve all these players that were missing, but that's chances for the rest of the squad and as I say we have a little bit of work to do before people can step in and fill their boots.”

McQuillan said he was delighted for McCabe following her transfer to English League Cup champions Arsenal.

He explained that he knew it would be hard to hold onto a player of McCabe’s calibre and he is hoping others can follow in the Irish internationals footsteps.

“I think she deserves it. I think if people take a leaf out of her book there will be more people going overseas. I knew it would be hard to hold onto her.

“She is an outstanding talent and she’ll do well in England. I think any player in our league that excels the way she has should be pushed abroad because we don’t have the right standard over here.”

With McCabe’s departure and Sinead Taylor being absent due work commitments, Rebecca Creagh has reverted back to her old role up front – a role which saw her score over 40 league goals in the black and white of Raheny United.

“What we lacked tonight was the support getting up to the front player. I thought Becks [Rebecca Creagh] worked very hard up there and was good interchanges, but we didn’t get up the park quick enough to support her play.

“She [Creagh] has changed back to her old role where she’s been put in as a goal getter. She’s doing very well and she will [get goals].”

When the League Cup returns after Ireland’s friendly with the USA on Saturday, Shelbourne travel to Castlebar for their final group game knowing a result could see them top the group.

McQuillan is aware that, while Shelbourne's destiny is in their own hands, Castlebar will be aiming to put on a display in front of their home crowd.

“It’s still in our hands whether we qualify or not for the Semi-final. We’ll go up to Castlebar and I’m sure they’ll want to turn us over up there on their own patch. Our girls have a point to prove.”

With Ireland’s second game of their Stateside trip taking place just five days before the trip to Castlebar, McQuillan said he would consider resting both Siobhan Killeen and Niamh Reid Burke, who are members of Sue Ronan’s Squad.

“Maybe it’s time to give other players a chance. We have given a lot of players a run out this year, but maybe it’s a time to give them all a run out at the same time rather than mixing and matching.

“We have to look at who deserves to play and who deserves to put us into the semi-final and maybe next game we should change our focus from a management side.”