McDermott rues loss of Campbell & Cooke

Raheny United manager Ger McDermott was left to rue the loss of Megan Campbell and Seana Cooke as his side slumped to a shock 5 – 2 defeat at home to Champions Peamount United.

McDermott admitted after the game, that both players were massive losses.

“At the start of the season you’re looking to have seven or eight defenders in the squad and you pick four. We were in a position there to pick four from four,” the disappointed Raheny boss explained.

 “We ended up having to stick Rachel Graham right full and to be fair to her she absolutely ran herself into the ground, but she should be playing midfield.”

McDermott did pay credit to the Peamount team and how the lighting speed of their strike force caught Raheny out.

“I wish we could play teams like that every week,” McDermott explained.

“Our trouble is when we come to face Peamount, is we don’t play teams like that. For the rest of the season we won’t face an attack like that until were up against Peamount again.”

The northsiders travel to Castlebar on Sunday. Celtic are the only side to have beaten Raheny on their travels in the Bus Eireann Women’s National League. McDermott is concerned about the threat the Westerners provide, especially with fitness worries over Campbell and Cooke.

First choice left back Eileen Murray snapped her achilles tendon during the victory over Shamrock Rovers in September and will almost certainly miss the rest of the season.

“That’s going to be tough, we went up their last season and they did us 2-1.” McDermott believes the hurt in the Raheny dressing room will spur them on. “Teams are dangerous when their hurt, we’ll be ok!”