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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Paul O'Hehir

Declan Devine laments refereeing decisions as Bohemians lose to Derry City

Declan Devine reckons Bohemians were the victims of a costly refereeing decision for the second week running.

And the Gypsies boss claims some rivals are getting a fairer crack of the whip from match officials than his side.

A week after missing out on a penalty at Shamrock Rovers, the Gypsies boss saw Bohs reduced to 10-men after only 14 minutes of last night’s 1-0 defeat to Derry City.

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At Dalymount Park, full-back Grant Horton lost possession on the edge of his own box and brought down Candystripes ace Michael Duffy when he seized possession.

Horton was deemed to be last man back - with team-mate Krystian Nowak a distance away but scrambling to cover - and referee Paul McLaughlin sent him off.

Bohs then went behind three minutes later to a Ryan Graydon goal and couldn’t claw back the deficit despite a brave second-half showing.


Gypsies boss Devine fumed: ”I was really disappointed with the refereeing decisions in the game again.

“I didn't have a go last week, I bit my tongue and it just comes back to bite you this week.

“They can't get cards out quick enough, a booking (for Paddy Kirk) after 15 seconds and a sending off after nine/ten minutes (it was 14). We’re up against it.

“For me it was a mistake but, at the same time, with Krystian Nowak, he’s not the last man, (Nowak) is within the goal, in and around the goal.

“We just seem to be getting punished for everything at the minute. We're getting no luck with officials.

“Some of the decisions to book our players are ridiculous. We need a level playing field and to be treated the same as other teams.”

But Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins wasn’t buying Devine’s version of events and insisted Horton’s red card was justified.

The Candystripes have moved up to second after the win and ahead of Monday’s home clash with Dundalk, Higgins said: “Aye, it’s a red card, he’s in one on one.”

Higgins added: “We started the game really well and dominated the ball. We played some really good stuff but, to be honest, made life a bit hard for ourselves.

“When we smelled blood in the first-half, we should have gone for the second and the third goals and we didn’t. It’s a habit we need to get out of.

“Then, ultimately the home team, the crowd got up, they got a bit of hope but we managed to see it out.

“Shane McEleney made a brilliant defensive header in injury time but given our performance and dominance in the first-half, we deserved to win the game.”

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