RUAIDHRÍ HIGGINS WAS proud but broken as he assessed another season in which Derry City fell short in the Premier Division.
If it wasn’t for the Gardaí requesting that the team bus move from the double yellow lines outside Richmond Park, the Candystripes boss would have hung around Inchicore a bit longer to run the rule over a campaign in which his side never did enough.
Getting clamped would have been the final insult.
“The damage wasn’t done here tonight, that’s for sure. We missed ample opportunities over the year to pick up more points and we didn’t, and ultimately it has cost us,” Higgins said.
Eight defeats and 13 draws were the reason for missing out. Derry could have earned a 14th against St Patrick’s Athletic last night but that still wouldn’t have been enough considering Shelbourne’s victory over Drogheda United at Tolka Park.
Those dropped points have been the only consistent throughout the season. Their first draw came in the second game away to Sligo Rovers in February and their most recent was also against the Bit O’Red earlier this month.
Three days before that Bohemians also earned a point at the Ryan McBride Brandywell.
Defeats away to Galway United and Drogheda United in late August and the middle of September also proved costly.
All of those slips ups are the most recent regrets, but the mind also trails back to 4 March when Derry led 2-1 going into the 92nd minute away to Shamrock Rovers.
They couldn’t see it out and the story of their season was beginning to be written with another draw.
“Absolutely. There is no point in saying otherwise. We had loads of opportunities to take control of it and we didn’t,” Higgins said.
“We had too many draws. And to be really honest we had too many draws over the last three seasons. And it’s something we have to look at. It’s disappointing.
“The players are very aware, we are all aware, of where we let ourselves down. We had far too many draws, games we should have won and didn’t. We had chances to take a stranglehold of the league table and we didn’t and we have to accept responsibility for that, I have to accept responsibility for that.
“It wasn’t tonight that we lost the league, we had plenty opportunities over the course of the season that we didn’t take and it’s cost us.”
Rovers are now the only side that can catch Shels. They face relegated Dundalk at Oriel Park tomorrow, a venue where they’ve not won since a Jack Byrne goal in 2020.
A 4-1 demolition of Larne in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday was another indication of the form of Stephen Bradley’s side.
They’s earned 29 points in the second half of the season and 20 of them have come in the last 10 games.
Even with Dundalk headed to the First Division and the future of the club in doubt, Bradley
“I think where we are in our heads, with the momentum, the players will stay focused and perform.
“I watched Dundalk’s game against Derry City and there wasn’t much in the game at all.
“I know Jon Daly and he’ll have Dundalk ready. They’ll be going out to win so we’ve to ensure we’re at our levels. Look through that team and there’s Andy Boyle, Daryl Horgan, John Mountney and Robbie Benson. They’re players who’ve been successful and know how to win. They’ve been successful for a reason and won’t down tools.”
Bradley was speaking before Friday’s results but even before it was confirmed mathematically that his team – chasing a fifth title in a row – needed a win to take it to the final night the Hoops boss
“Usually you’ve to go take it and no team has done that. Hence where we are. Have we have been good enough? No. At one stage, we were 16 points behind so you know it would take an incredible turnaround.
“We’re there by hook or by crook and apart from St Patrick’s Athletic there hasn’t been such an in-form team in the country. Somehow, we’re there.”
Derry, though, have fallen away and Higgins must find a way to pick them up for their last home against Shels next week. The title could be won at the Brandywell after all if Damien Duff’s side go up there and get three points.
It’s a sobering prospect.
The FAI Cup final seems a long way away for Derry right now, especially with the scars of this season still so fresh.
