McHugh proud of players efforts
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Finn Harps caretaker manager Kevin McHugh was proud of the effort his players made after a difficult week in their performance in the 1-0 loss against table-toppers Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Friday night.
McHugh took charge this week on a temporary juncture in the wake of James Gallagher’s sacking as the board of the Ballybofey club are in the process of appointing a new manager. All that was missing in Drumcondra according to McHugh was a slice of luck.
“We dominated the game, particularly in the first half and were very unlucky to come away with nothing,” he said. “We had almost all of the ball and caused Shelbourne problems from the start. I spoke to their manager Alan Mathews afterwards and he admitted that he was very relieved to come out with the three points.
“We decided the change a few things during the week and went with a 4-1-4-1 formation and I couldn’t have asked for any more from any player. Tommy Bonner played in front of the back four and was excellent, while Garbhan Friel did very well on his debut. I asked Garbhan before the game could he give me a good 45 minutes, but at half-time he told me was fine to continue. Although he eventually tired a bit, which is totally understandable considering he hasn’t played in two months after a serious injury, again I couldn’t ask any more.”
Harps went into the game with fragile confidence having picked up only three points all season. However, they were denied what seemed a good penalty shout when Christy Connaghan was felled and then saw a Packie Mailey goal disallowed for offside by Welsh referee Brian James. However, David Cassidy’s winner four minutes into the second half meant Harps would venture back to the north-west with nothing.
“I thought it was a penalty and it’s the sort of one if you were playing at home you would certainly have got,” McHugh continued. “And as for the goal, the Shels goalkeeper Dean Delany collided with his own centre-half and it was chalked off. It’s very frustrating and all in all I felt the referee had a fine game, but those are the sort of decisions that seem to be going against us all season and if one had even gone our way, it would have been a massive lift.
“Shels are the best side in this league and in my mind will certainly get promoted. It’ll be between them and Cork City come the end of the season but as a player myself, I just asked the lads to give it their all and they certainly did that. Maybe they just had the little bit more experience in the end.
“As things stand I am planning for Monday night’s training session but the board are expecting to have a manager in by the start of the week. I was a little nervous before the game tonight of course but enjoyed the experience. For me now though, the priority is getting back to full fitness.”
McHugh took charge this week on a temporary juncture in the wake of James Gallagher’s sacking as the board of the Ballybofey club are in the process of appointing a new manager. All that was missing in Drumcondra according to McHugh was a slice of luck.
“We dominated the game, particularly in the first half and were very unlucky to come away with nothing,” he said. “We had almost all of the ball and caused Shelbourne problems from the start. I spoke to their manager Alan Mathews afterwards and he admitted that he was very relieved to come out with the three points.
“We decided the change a few things during the week and went with a 4-1-4-1 formation and I couldn’t have asked for any more from any player. Tommy Bonner played in front of the back four and was excellent, while Garbhan Friel did very well on his debut. I asked Garbhan before the game could he give me a good 45 minutes, but at half-time he told me was fine to continue. Although he eventually tired a bit, which is totally understandable considering he hasn’t played in two months after a serious injury, again I couldn’t ask any more.”
Harps went into the game with fragile confidence having picked up only three points all season. However, they were denied what seemed a good penalty shout when Christy Connaghan was felled and then saw a Packie Mailey goal disallowed for offside by Welsh referee Brian James. However, David Cassidy’s winner four minutes into the second half meant Harps would venture back to the north-west with nothing.
“I thought it was a penalty and it’s the sort of one if you were playing at home you would certainly have got,” McHugh continued. “And as for the goal, the Shels goalkeeper Dean Delany collided with his own centre-half and it was chalked off. It’s very frustrating and all in all I felt the referee had a fine game, but those are the sort of decisions that seem to be going against us all season and if one had even gone our way, it would have been a massive lift.
“Shels are the best side in this league and in my mind will certainly get promoted. It’ll be between them and Cork City come the end of the season but as a player myself, I just asked the lads to give it their all and they certainly did that. Maybe they just had the little bit more experience in the end.
“As things stand I am planning for Monday night’s training session but the board are expecting to have a manager in by the start of the week. I was a little nervous before the game tonight of course but enjoyed the experience. For me now though, the priority is getting back to full fitness.”
