DERRY CITY MANAGER Tiernan Lynch was left aghast by referee Rob Harvey’s decision not to send Patrick Hickey off for a deliberate handball and has demanded a statement from the official or his superiors explaining the situation.
The Bohemians centre back caught a ball over the top in mid air before throwing it away, denying striker Dipo Akinyemi the chance to gain control and attempt a shot on goal.
There were 83 minutes on the clock and the sides were level 1-1, although Derry were down to 10 men after Adam O’Reilly was shown a second yellow card moments earlier, a decision Lynch also disagreed with.
But it was the bizarre scenario involving Hickey that left the Derry boss in a state of consternation.
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“I think a blind man on a galloping horse would have seen that it was what it was. As I say, I don’t think that this is something that we can just take. Even as a football club, I don’t think that’s something we can just take.
“When does this get put to bed and when does this get nailed? And I think that we definitely need a statement from the referees and from Rob of what did he see because every single person in this stadium has seen what happened apart from Rob.
🗣️ "It's just so strange..."
🗣️ "I've never seen it on a football pitch before."
“I’m going to wait patiently to see what comes back and the feedback from that because there has to be questions asked and that has to be brought forward. The last man, through on goal, catches the ball, throws it behind him and it’s a yellow card? I probably need that explained to me
“All I’d probably do is get myself into trouble, so I’ll stay away from the referee at this stage. As I say, I think answers need to be made here. We definitely have to hear what the thought process was in that because every single person in the stadium has seen what happened apart from the referee.”
Overall, the draw at Dalymount Park was the fair result. Derry had by far the better of the first half and deservedly took a 1-0 lead through James Olayinka. Bohs responded at the break by withdrawing Douglas James-Taylor and introducing Ross Tierney to provide a spark.
It paid almost immediate dividends when the home side drew level on 52 minutes courtesy of Markuss Strods.
Bohs had momentum but Derry stayed strong and there cause was made harder for the last quarter of an hour when O’Reilly was dismissed for a second yellow after earlier picking up a caution for dissent.
Lynch hailed his players’ character and commitment, and that made the handball scenario all the more disappointing.
“It’s very hard to take when you work so hard. Day in, day out. Week in, week out. Things like that. The situation with the lad Hickey. Dipo was through on goal. He was last man. Could have put him down to 10 men. They’re big, big decisions in a game. They don’t ever seem to go our way. And that’s the only thing, I’m [not] crying my luck or whatever it may be. But that’s usually frustrating.”
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'A blind man on a galloping horse would have seen that it was what it was'
DERRY CITY MANAGER Tiernan Lynch was left aghast by referee Rob Harvey’s decision not to send Patrick Hickey off for a deliberate handball and has demanded a statement from the official or his superiors explaining the situation.
The Bohemians centre back caught a ball over the top in mid air before throwing it away, denying striker Dipo Akinyemi the chance to gain control and attempt a shot on goal.
There were 83 minutes on the clock and the sides were level 1-1, although Derry were down to 10 men after Adam O’Reilly was shown a second yellow card moments earlier, a decision Lynch also disagreed with.
But it was the bizarre scenario involving Hickey that left the Derry boss in a state of consternation.
“I think a blind man on a galloping horse would have seen that it was what it was. As I say, I don’t think that this is something that we can just take. Even as a football club, I don’t think that’s something we can just take.
“When does this get put to bed and when does this get nailed? And I think that we definitely need a statement from the referees and from Rob of what did he see because every single person in this stadium has seen what happened apart from Rob.
“I’m going to wait patiently to see what comes back and the feedback from that because there has to be questions asked and that has to be brought forward. The last man, through on goal, catches the ball, throws it behind him and it’s a yellow card? I probably need that explained to me
“All I’d probably do is get myself into trouble, so I’ll stay away from the referee at this stage. As I say, I think answers need to be made here. We definitely have to hear what the thought process was in that because every single person in the stadium has seen what happened apart from the referee.”
Overall, the draw at Dalymount Park was the fair result. Derry had by far the better of the first half and deservedly took a 1-0 lead through James Olayinka. Bohs responded at the break by withdrawing Douglas James-Taylor and introducing Ross Tierney to provide a spark.
It paid almost immediate dividends when the home side drew level on 52 minutes courtesy of Markuss Strods.
Bohs had momentum but Derry stayed strong and there cause was made harder for the last quarter of an hour when O’Reilly was dismissed for a second yellow after earlier picking up a caution for dissent.
Lynch hailed his players’ character and commitment, and that made the handball scenario all the more disappointing.
“It’s very hard to take when you work so hard. Day in, day out. Week in, week out. Things like that. The situation with the lad Hickey. Dipo was through on goal. He was last man. Could have put him down to 10 men. They’re big, big decisions in a game. They don’t ever seem to go our way. And that’s the only thing, I’m [not] crying my luck or whatever it may be. But that’s usually frustrating.”
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