IN A FAIRLY sterile and inconsequential, cagey even, press conference earlier this week, a line from Derry manager Ruaidhrí Higgins stood out.
The Limavady man unbuckled himself from the questions around the opposition, the ones were you tip-toe through, trying not to step on any landmines. Then he got to the good stuff.
“We will need the home support behind us,” Higgins said.
“The nights are getting darker earlier, the floodlights will be on and I love it when it is like that.
“It creates a real atmosphere and with Shamrock Rovers coming to town, hopefully we can make it a memorable occasion.
“With a brilliant home support behind us, hopefully it can be a real special Brandywell night.”
The atmosphere in The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium gathers, much in the same way you go bankrupt; gradually, then suddenly.
One minute there’s barely anyone in the ground and the only noise is that of reporters fussing over a WiFi connection, and within ten more minutes the tang of salt and vinegar chips attacks the nostrils, the drum starts banging and the players are on the pitch limbering up.
The fear among fans in the queues for food and the jacks were about the early goal. Should it fall Derry’s way, a wall could go up and the points will be pinched, cutting Rover’s lead at the top of the table to the quick.
However, the optimism wasn’t great if Rovers might manage the same. Then their quality from the bench could just continue to ask the questions that would leave Derry in a spin.
In the end up, the title race was probably decided. Neutrals craved a Derry City victory to keep things saucy at the top end.
In the end, it ended up a case of the Invisible Gorilla. Ever heard of it? It’s basically a visual test where you are asked to watch a clip of people playing basketball and focus on where one player goes.
Midway through, a gorilla appears and walks across the screen. Your reaction to this is one of two things – you are either so focussed on the basketball player that you miss it, or you are one of those easily distracted folks – there’s loads of us – who can’t help pointing at the screen and shouting at the big hoor of a gorilla.
In other words, perception. Which is where the 85th minute of this game goes to. Derry City were full of vim and vigour, but the substitutions Stephen Bradley has made are fizzing about. The ball is worked to Rory Gaffney and he plays a pass towards Graham Burke on the spin, heading to goal.
Shane McEleney comes in, caught out of position. It’s the first thing he’s done wrong all night. But he does grab him around the midriff and referee Paul McLaughlin blows, points to the spot, and sends McEleney off.
Afterwards, the demeanour of both managers couldn’t be any more different. Rauidhrí Higgins makes all the right noises. Six games to go. A trip away to Sligo Rovers next. They will keep fighting for the title. The club is going the right way, on and off the pitch. But still, the penalty is ragging him.
“If there was any contact, it was minimal contact. I think you ought to be strong there and know it and understand what the player is doing. And whatever contact is there, he’s bought it and he’s put it away.”
Asked what the view of Shane McEleney and goalkeeper Brian Maher, Higgins adds, “Brian Maher is convinced, absolutely convinced, and he would always give you an honest assessment, that it’s 100% not a penalty. And their player maybe understands that as well.”
Standing not too far away, Rover manager Stephen Bradley finishes up a television interview to join the inky and Internet folk.
It’s only manners to offer up a few cornball questions about the shape and pattern of the game. Penetration up the pitch, width and depth, perception of what a point means. All that fluffy stuff, right up until the trigger is pulled.
The penalty, Stephen. Was it a penalty, but?
“Ah it’s a stonewall penalty. I think the left-back played him on. He kept him on all night and we just didn’t play the ball.”
He’s focussing on whether Graham Burke was in an offside position. That’s not what we want though. Was it a penalty?
“Yeah, even the most ardent of Derry City supporters would know that’s a penalty. It’s a penalty and a red card. We had something very similar over against Pat’s in Inchicore. We had it here last year. He was about to score a goal, so yeah, it’s a penalty.”
When informed about Higgins’ view, he smiles.
“Yeah, of course. Graham is a clever player and when he feels the contact is about to come when he is about to shoot, he takes the contact. That’s football. The defender needs to recognise that. He stays off Graham, them he finishes it. He doesn’t, it’s a penalty.
“The defender’s made the decision to go for the ball and Graham gets his body in, it’s very clever play, Graham is a clever player.
“He hasn’t dived. There was contact.”
And that’s the fine lines and the margins and the breaks. A league race that could have been more probably comes down to that small moment. Nothing in what Bradley says can be disputed. It was a penalty. Cruel on Derry, yes. But a penalty.
Rovers fans went home as buoyant as could be. Derry City’s resident drummer made his way to the visiting fans to give them a few thumps of the tub before he left before they were escorted out.
Passing the press box, some supporters felt the need to tip tea cups over the journalists laptops. Some journalists received stick varying from the self-aware and humorous to the nasty. C’est la vie.
