DERRY CITY NEED to break a mental block to believe they can win the Premier Division title.
But conceding an injury-time equaliser away to Shamrock Rovers after coming from behind to lead 2-1 is not what will cause the most damage – they won at Tallaght Stadium at the same stage last season so victory last night would simply have made a good start to 2024 even better.
Or, as Candystripes boss Ruaidhri Higgins put it: “We are happy-ish with our points return so far,” he said of eight from a possible 12 to leave them second behind early pace setters Shelbourne.
“Managers are greedy human beings, they just want to be better all the time and that’s what drives you.”
Higgins cited how results against sides from mid table and below is what cost them last season.
“It’s something that we are very, very conscious of. If you look at our opening two fixtures, Drogheda [United] and Sligo [Rovers], we didn’t pick up enough points from those two clubs last year and we took four from six [this season],” he said.
“Then we’ve taken four from six against St Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers. So it’s a decent return. Every fixture now in this league is a real test and it poses different challenges. We are just happy with our start, but you always want more.”
Higgins bemoaned his side’s performance for an hour against St Pat’s on Friday before they secured a 2-1 win.
It looked as though they would repeat the feat against the champions on their own patch before Darragh Burns dug out a deep cross and Markus Poom towered above Ciaran Coll at the back post.
“We’ve always tried to come here and be brave in our approach and go toe-to-toe with Rovers,” Higgins said.
“Sometimes they put you on the backfoot because they are so possession-based and are really good at it, they can pull you all over the place. But I thought our players were brave and they stuck at it.
“When we had to be solid we were and when we wanted to press high we did it well. We created opportunities and they created opportunities. We leave with a point and we move on.”
Waterford visit the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Friday and do so sitting just one point behind Derry in third.
Resilience and moments of quality have given Derry a platform so far, not to mention the impact of winter signing Pat Hoban.
The striker arrived from Dundalk when he still had one season left on his contract at Oriel Park and his three goals in the opening four games have proved crucial.
Hoban used all of his experience to win a soft penalty under the slightest of challenges from Dylan Watts, and then stepped up to convert the spot kick last night.
It was the second equaliser he scored in successive games having brought Derry level against St Pat’s on Friday, while his strike on the opening night at home to Drogheda United proved to be the winner in a 2-1 victory.
“I think if you look at Pat’s numbers at Dundalk, they were obviously through the roof,” Higgins said. “But I think 55 or 60% of his goals were the first goal for his team, so he produces in big moments and he is courageous.
“He is a winner. He has taken responsibility again [against Shamrock Rovers] and put the ball in the back of the net.
“He won the penalty himself as well. He’s had a great start, he has been great on and off the pitch and long may it continue.”
