‘Embarrassed’ Canning says it’s down to the players

DERGVIEW boss Tommy Canning admitted he was ‘embarrassed’ by his side’s performance in the Lough 41 Championship game against Institute on Saturday.

And he has warned his players need to get their act together for this evening’s (Tuesday) North West Senior Cup quarter-final clash against neighbours Strabane Athletic.

On Saturday there was little between the sides but in the second half a Jamie Dunne double and Cormac Burke penalty condemned the Derg men to a fifth league defeat.

Canning said the cup holders can’t afford a repeat of Saturday’s performance against Strabane, who themselves were defeated 4-0 by Bangor in the second round of the Irish Cup.

“If we play like that again Strabane will turn us over,” rapped the Darragh Park supremo.

“It’s a free hit, a win-win for Strabane and if we play like that again we all know what the outcome will be.”

Apart from Graham Crown and goalkeeper Alan Buchanan, Canning insisted his players came out of the north west derby with zero credit. He also insisted that after a poor start to the season it’s down to the players themselves to turn things around.

“I think we have got to the point where the only people who can help the players is themselves. They owe it to the club and they owe it to themselves. I feel that my staff have done what they can and now it’s down to the players to take some responsibility.

“It’s down to them if they want to get out of this situation or not.”

This evening’s cup-tie kicks off at 7.45pm