Derry City boss Tiernan Lynch hoping to 'put things right' against Shelbourne

​There was no sugar-coating the dire performance from his charges in the 1-0 loss to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght last weekend but Lynch expects a reaction from his team who will be under pressure to return to winning ways at home in the first of a crunch double-header against Dublin opposition.

The Derry boss has seen the desired response in training this week but the litmus test will come on Friday night at 7:45 p.m., when Lynch has challenged his players to prove the limp display against the champions was 'a one-off'.

"It's a great test for us," enthused Lynch. "You hope and pray that at 7.40pm I'm having to get knocked out of the way to let them out the door.

"It will speak volumes for us as a team and where we're at. If training is anything to go by then that attitude is definitely there. “It's now down to getting out there and showing that Friday night was a one-off and bouncing back again."

Staying on that praying theme, the Derry boss will also be lighting 'all kinds of candles' in the hope he gets some of his walking wounded back on the pitch including the versatile Cameron Dummigan who has yet to make an appearance this campaign.

Lynch also lamented the absence of six first-team players who would normally be considered starters, namely Brian Maher, Carl Winchester, Darragh Markey, Liam Boyce, Rob Slevin and Brandon Fleming. Some of those players returned to training this week and will have every opportunity to make the matchday squad.

"It would be great to get Cameron [Dummigan] back. Whether this week is a bit early for him I don't know. He's been back training, and he's an unbelievably talented kid.

"Our team will definitely benefit from 'Dummy' being in our team. It's fingers-crossed and all kinds of candles being lit to get 'Dummy' back in and staying fit and showing the player that he is.

"Taking Brian Maher, Rob Slevin, Carl Winchester, Darragh Markey, Brandon Fleming - take that group of players out of any team it will always have an effect," said the Brandywell boss.

"It is what it is. The fact is there were good enough players to come in, take their place, and really stake a claim.

"Unfortunately on Friday night we didn't do that. I don't think we showed a true reflection of who we are, what we are or how we go about our work every day, or what pulling that shirt over your head should actually mean.

"I think that was one where we let ourselves down—me included. This is a collective thing, not just a players' thing, and I take full responsibility for that. We have to go and put it right."

Five days after Friday's defeat and following several team meetings Lynch still couldn't put his finger on reasons for Friday's display - an 'unusual' occasion when almost the entire team failed to 'show up'.

He's using that disappointment as motivation this week as Derry is under pressure to perform in front of their increasingly anxious home support.

"Friday was a difficult one for us. We were hugely disappointed as a group. We just didn't do enough. We're not going to try make excuses or try sugar-coat it, we were off it. Too many of us just didn't turn up or perform.

"Unfortunately, if you want to go to Tallaght and try and get something, you need everyone to be at their very, very best. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

“Your next question is probably going to be, 'Why was that?' and I don't think there's an answer. I think it's very unusual for so many players not to step up.

"We got back in against his week and we haven't shied away from anything. We've worked extremely hard, and it's time to get back on the pitch and try and put that right.

"There's not one thing you can put your finger on to say this didn't happen, or that didn't happen. Or it was because of this or because of that.

"We can look for excuses and talk about having six players who weren't available, but I think there was still enough talent there and on the bench that we should have given a better account of ourselves. We have to park that now. We have to use that as motivation going into Friday night and that's what we intend to do.

"We had six players out on Friday night. We don't have a huge squad and it's six players who would probably be in contention for a starting place.

"But we try not to make excuses about it. It's an opportunity for someone else to come in and try to stake a claim and keep a shirt and all that goes with it.

"This is a process for us. We keep saying this. At this stage we have to keep trying to grind out results and stay in the hunt and hopefully as the days, weeks and months go on that gelling will start to come together, and hopefully we'll see the best version of ourselves."

This is the perfect fixture to focus the attention of his players. Shels come smarting after letting slip a 2-0 lead against Rovers on Monday night at Tolka Park. They have been shipping goals - five in their last two matches - but Lynch knows it will be another stringent test of his team's credentials.

"We're actually the opposite [of Shels]," he smiled. "We're chasing games rather than throwing games away. You look at the Pats game and the goals they've conceded from set pieces, and the other night they were a bit unfortunate, and there's lots being made about Rob Hennessy's decision.

"Ultimately, every team has weaknesses and areas that can be exploited. Our job is to make sure we do that. First of all we have to get ourselves right and our attitude going into the game and our mentality and what we need out of the game.

"We need the fans behind us from minute one - that's hugely important for us.

"I watched a couple of their games last week. I watched their game against the Pats and their game against Rovers on Monday night.

"They're a good side with lots of quality in their team. The kid Harry Wood is on fire at the minute and [JJ] Lunney is pulling all the strings as a six.

"They're a top side with top players and they will get all the respect they deserve. At the same time, we're at home and we have a job to do, so that has to be at the forefront of our minds."

Derry's midfield was overrun by Rovers last weekend and they will face another tough night against a Shels team who have plenty of individual talent in the middle of the park.

"The big thing on Friday night was there was a huge difference in our out of possession against Rovers compared to the President's Cup game and playing on the frontfoot that we've been working on so hard. So that was the disappointing part for us.

"We just can't give Shelbourne any time or space because they have good players and they will hurt you, much like what Rovers did, so that's important for us."

With in-form St Pat's coming up on Monday night in Inchicore it's a hugely difficult weekend but an opportunity to change the narrative on Foyleside with a couple of positive results. It's one game at a time for Lynch.

"You can only concentrate on what's in front of us. What's in front of us right now is Shels and that’s are only focus 0 to get a team ready and prepared to take on Shelbourne on Friday night. Hopefully once we get that over and done with we will change our focus.”