Captain Patrick McEleney was fuming after Derry City’s title hopes came to an end at St Patrick’s Athletic, on Friday evening.
The Brandywell men’s 1-0 loss to Stephen Kenny’s in-form Saints combined by table toppers Shelbourne’s 2-1 victory over Drogheda United, means City now sit four points behind Damien Duff’s out-fit, who they face in this Friday night’s final game of the season.
McEleney, who won three Premier Division titles during his spell at Dundalk, believes his home town club had enough chances to win their first top flight since 1997.
The 32-year-old was quick to blame himself and Ruaidhrí Higgins’ squad for not taking their chances when they were presented to them throughout the campaign.
With just 14 victories in 35 league matches and 13 draws, City have missed several opportunities to take control of their own destiny in their pursuit to catch Shels.
“I think there’s only so many chances in the back end of the season you’re going to get. Tonight was another one, and we just didn’t take it,” he insisted.
“We should have won it, let’s be honest. We probably should have won the league, but as players, we didn’t produce. How far away are we? I’d need to be a psychic to know.
“We’re expected to win every game, and we have to go for wins. It’s easier in the stands, looking down, but you have to think the other way too and leaving ourselves exposed.
“To be honest, it goes back to, look, the players only get so many opportunities. You can point fingers at everything, point fingers at everybody else and pitches and everything, but as players, you only get so many opportunities. I’m part of this, by the way, and we didn’t take them.”
The midfielder was bitterly disappointed for the Brandywell faithful, who he states has given them great support this year and he wants to finish the season on a high as they prepare for next month’s FAI Cup Final against Drogheda United.
“Look, it’s disappointing and I’m as gutted as anybody. I think people forget I’m from Derry too. I’m a Derry fan still as well,” he added.
“Look, it’ll be defined now down to the end of November, how the season was. We’re here to win trophies, I said it from the day I walked through the door. Whether everybody’s going to be happy with an FAI Cup or not now, and that’s for sure. I’ll be absolutely ecstatic with it, but I don’t think many others will, but we’ll see.”
McEleney felt Derry deserved more at Richmond Park on Friday evening, but he was also quick to point out Brandon Kavanagh’s goal, right before half-time was another poor goal they conceded.
“It was avoidable. Teams don’t need to play brilliant football sometimes. We’re killing ourselves, playing into teams’ hands,” he explained.
“We’ve done it in Drogheda as well. We have to have the perfect goal. Nobody gives us anything. It’s a massively disappointing night.
“I’m just trying to think straight here to be honest. It’s a tough one to swallow, but we’re going to have to switch very quickly because we have a big game next week, and then we have a bigger game the week after, in the FAI Cup Final.
“We had opportunities too. Their keeper kept out Mickey’s (Duffy) chance with his head. Mickey purposely puts it high and it hits him in the head. Small margins, but again, massively disappointing.
“It was said at half-time, look, it’s go time, take the shackles off and have a pop and look, I think we did, but it just wasn’t enough.”
