Canning disappointed after Derg’s thrilling comeback falls short against Glens

Dergview 2 Glentoran 3

TOMMY Canning said he was bitterly disappointed for his players after his Dergview battlers staged a superb second half comeback against Premiership big guns Glentoran in the fifth round of the Samuel Gelston Whiskey Irish Cup this afternoon.

Two Robbie McDaid goals had the Glens firmly in the driving seat at the interval but the Championship side dominated the second period after Jamie Browne pulled a goal back for the hosts.

Defender Graham Crown then headed home a dramatic equaliser with five minutes remaining to seemingly send a thrilling contest into extra-time.

But Glens new signing Sean Murray ultimately broke Dergview hearts by grabbing a winner just 68 seconds later with a cracking 30-yard drive which flew inside Alan Buchanan’s left upright.

It was a cruel twist on the home side whose supporters were dreaming of a major upset when Crown’s header from a Matty Kirk free kick bulged the visiting net.

“I’m disappointed for the players, I thought they deserved to take it to extra-time” said the Derg boss Canning.

“They showed heart and desire and no lack of quality. There was real quality in that second half and we dominated. In the second half we competed with Glentoran and asked huge questions of them.

“ I really thought it was going to extra-time and I’m disappointed in the manner we lost it. The players did the club proud and for those behind the scenes it was reward for a lot of hard work.

“It’s a mix of disappointment and what could have been but pride as well.”

Initially this eagerly-awaited tie appeared to be going according to the script. Nine minutes in McDaid finished from close range after the home defence failed to clear a Shay McCartan free kick.

McDaid struck again with a superb curling shot to Buchanan’s bottom left corner, in the wake of good play by McCartan, but in the second half Dergview stormed back.

A searching Niall McGinley pass sent Browne galloping clear to steer the ball under Aaron McCarey shy of the hour to give the homesters real hope.

With just five minutes remaining Crown then headed home a dramatic equaliser and at that point all bets were off.

However Murray had other ideas and just 68 seconds later the Glens new signing netted the deciding goal, much to the relief of his manager Mick McDermott.

“I don’t think Dergview caused us any problems in the first half and of course you warn the players at half-time, Dergview’s going to come out so don’t drop your standards,” he said.

“Our standards dropped. It wasn’t good enough, the conditions were a bit of a leveller, but I thought we should have managed things better.

“Then they get a goal – it was a poor one to concede – and then they get the belief. Dergview got a second but I think the urgency kicked in for us after that and Sean Murray hits a brilliant strike.”

The Teams

Dergview: Al Buchanan; Falconer; K Farren (Diver 87); Crown; Burns (Callaghan 66); Loughery (McLaughlin 87); McGinley  (Fielding 87); Kirk; Ca Farren (Kennedy 79); M Buchanan; Browne.

Subs not used: McKeown; Devlin.

Glentoran: McCarey; Burns; Marshall; McClean; Marron; Crowe (Plum 50); Clucas; McCartan (O’Connor 83); J Donnelly; R Donnelly (Murray 50); McDaid.

Subs not used: Garrett; Mitchell; Cushnie; Glendinning.

Referee: J Robinson.