Derg boss demands better for Stute clash at Brandywell

YOU’D think Tommy Canning would have been a happy bunny after his Dergview team defeated Dundela 2-0 at Darragh Park last weekend to make it three wins on the bounce.

I mean what wasn’t to like. His team had just defeated an improving Dundela side that had drawn 3-3 with Knockbreda and a fortnight before that had defeated HW Welders 4-0.

On top of that it was another win for the Derg men following notable victories over Loughgall United and Newry City. If that wasn’t enough his team had kept a clean sheet and scored two more goals.

Canning though described the performance as ‘horrible” and insisted his players would have to up their game for the relatively short trip to the Brandywell to face Institute on Saturday.

Reflecting on the win over Niall Currie’s visitors he said, “It’s as poor as we have played all season.

“We had no quality whatsoever. We were fortunate to go in a goal up at half-time. We thought we would come out and perform a bit better in the second half but we didn’t. We were a bit more solid defensively by then but they were down to 10 men!

“It wasn’t good and that won’t be good enough next week against Stute, no doubt about that.

“That said Cathal (Farren) took his penalty well and Philip (Wallace) takes his goal very well. If we had a wee bit more quality in the final third we could have scored more goals.”

Turning his attention to this weekend Canning said his team would be facing a totally different Stute side that his charges put to the sword at Darragh Park on the opening day of the season.

On that occasion Dergview ran out convincing 5-0 winners but since that much has changed at Stute. Sean O’Connor has been replaced by Brian Donaghey and the new man has helped turn things around at the Derry club.

On Saturday Institute drew 2-2 with Annagh United before losing 4-0 to Ballinamallard United in a rescheduled game at Ferney Park on Tuesday evening.

Canning insisted his players face a tough task if they are intent on extending their unbeaten run.

“Stute are not the team we beat here 5-0 that’s for sure,” he said.

“They have a bit about them and they went on a great run when Brian Donaghey came in and then it tapered off.

“There is not a great deal between us and them, if truth be told. Brian Donaghey will probably think he hasn’t got his team yet because he hasn’t been able to sign anyone as such.

“But we’re certainly going to have perform better than that (against Dundela) to get anything out of that game. They will be looking forward to it, gunning for it because they will have been embarrassed by the result up here so we are going to have to deal with that.

“We are going to have to play better, we absolutely are. A lot of the boys will be familiar to each other which can sometimes affect the game in different ways. We’ll get ready Monday and Thursday and go again on Saturday, and hopefully get something out of it and keep this run going.

“That said it’s one we look forward to, it’s a derby game, a tricky game and we need to be at our best to get anything out of it, that’s for sure.”
Canning insisted that he would be making some changes for the visit to the Brandywell. Kick-off 3pm