SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday June 9 2023
Ryan McBride Stadium, 7.45pm
Declan Devine hopes Bohemians have learned an important lesson from the manner of Monday’s defeat against Cork City and predicted an entertaining game between two teams with something to prove when his side face Derry City tomorrow.
Bohs fans in Turner’s Cross were still celebrating Adam McDonnell’s late equaliser when, seconds later, Cork City marched up the pitch straight from the restart and notched the winner through Daniel Krezic.
It was a bitter pill to swallow and Devine admitted: “It was a lesson not just for me, but for the whole group.
”I think we all understand that it wasn’t acceptable to concede seconds after we scored a goal. It is something that I would like to imagine will never happen again. It’s something that can never happen again.
“We have got to learn that it was crazy – absolutely insane – to let that happen. But I will say this about this group again – that I believe they are giving everything and I believe that they will learn from it.
“We can’t do anything else about it now but learn from it. We certainly don’t want that to ever happen again.
“It is a lesson as to how cruel the game can be. If you’re not switched on for every second of every game, then you get punished and that’s that’s what happened. We were absolutely punished.
“Cork had two shots on target and they score two goals. That’s how this league goes. You’ve got to make sure that you are fully concentrated in your set-up, and that your defensive set-up is right for the whole game.
“But it was a bitter call to swallow and we have got to understand that, yes, we did well to get back into the game in the first instance but to then lose it in the way we did is just not acceptable.”
Devine was also disappointed that his side failed to match the really impressive performance levels seen in Friday’s 2-0 win over Sligo Rovers.
He said: “We never got to the intensity levels we had on Friday and we were also playing against a team that has had a brilliant record over recent games.
“They were a team playing with a lot of confidence but we have got to stamp our authority more on games. By half-time, we were reasonably comfortable but without being very creative.
“We have got to be much better than what we were down in Cork and show what we are capable of.
“Points are key now – it’s all about points. It’s about making sure that we don’t leave any more points behind us in the second half of the season.
“There are going to be games where it’s just not going our way. But we’ve got to be able to show resilience and ability to get things from games. That’s something that as a group we have got to learn fast.”
Tomorrow they face a Derry side who they have already beaten in the Brandywell this season but have lost to in Dalymount.
The Candystripes come into the game on the back of a bruising 4-1 defeat away to St Patrick’s Athletic on Monday.
Devine said: ”Every game in this league, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing at home or away, is going to be a tough game.
”We went down 10 men against Derry when we played them in Dalymount which didn’t make for a level playing field as such because 14 minutes into the game we found ourselves a man down and then a goal down.
”But our response after that in that game was very good. Now we want to go to Derry and take it to another level.
”Derry will be coming into this game hurting as well after Monday. They’ll be expecting a performance and we’re going up there expecting a performance as well.
”I think you’ll find two teams trying to go and win the game. I don’t think it’s going to be like certain games that we’ve seen recently where teams are sitting back and holding out for a clean sheet.
”We will go there trying to win the game trying to win the game so it has the makings of two good teams going at it. We are concentrating ourselves, we will have a few bodies back, and we go up there with a strong squad.
”Dylan Connolly will be back and I’m hoping Johnny Afolabi will be involved too. Not having those two in the attacking third of the pitch is something that we’ve been missing over recent weeks.
”Having those two back on the panel will be massive for us. James Akintunde has come through the last couple of games after his lay-off which will stand him in good stead too so, slowly but surely, we’re delighted that we’re getting a couple of bodies back.”
With just two games remaining this month and the transfer window opening on July 1st, Devine says he will be looking to strengthen in certain areas next month.
He added: ”We wouldn’t be doing our jobs right if we weren’t looking at this moment in time to strengthen the squad.
”There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes and recruitment is key in terms of bringing the right people to the club.
”It’s key that any person coming in fits into the group. We have a really honest and tight group so it’s hugely important that we bring the right personalities in and it’s also important that we strengthen in certain individual areas.
”Myself, the backroom team, Pat Fenlon, and everyone involved behind the scenes, are working hard to single out targets who we want to bring to the club and then go and have those discussions to see if it’s feasible or not.
”So, there’s a lot of work going on. This month tends to go quickly with midseason break and the window opens July 1st and we’ll certainly be looking to strengthen a couple of positions.”
TEAM NEWS
Dylan Connolly (hip) and Johnny Afolabi (ankle) come back into contention but Dean Williams (ankle) remains out.
