Limerick’s interim manager Willie Boland had mixed emotions as a late Chiedozie Ogbene goal snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat against Derry City. Derry deservedly went in front through an Adam Barry header 11 minutes from time but Ogbene struc
Limerick’s interim manager Willie Boland had mixed emotions as a late Chiedozie Ogbene goal snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat against Derry City.
Derry deservedly went in front through an Adam Barry header 11 minutes from time but Ogbene struck three minutes into injury time to salvage a point for the Super Blues.
Asked if his side deserved a point from the game Boland said: “I don’t know. It was a really strange game. I have strange emotions after the game.
“Looking at it from the sideline, Derry had the lion’s share of possession. I don’t think we really got an awful lot going in relation to good passages of possession.
“I suppose from a positive point of view, we kept our shape and didn’t give an awful lot of chances away. Probably, if you look back at the game, we had a fair few chances in the first half and in the second half as well.
“Of course, it will be said that we got out of jail with a last minute equaliser but I feel, on the balance of things, we may have just deserved the point.”
With Limerick losing to Sligo last week, other results have dragged them nearer to the relegation zone than the European qualification places and Boland admitted that it was an important point to get.
“Losing this game after the loss last week would have been very disheartening for the boys. So, getting that last minute goal will be a lift and we are happy with the point judging on the balance of the performance.
“We are not too far away from those European places but are still looking over our shoulder in relation to the teams behind us as well.”
It appears that the draw against Derry will be Boland’s last in charge as interim manager with the club expected to announce a new manager early next week.
With only one defeat from six games, Boland has steadied the ship at the Markets Field following Martin Russell’s exit from the club and the former Coventry City and Cardiff City man has enjoyed being in charge.
“Of course I have. It’s been a great experience to be in charge of the team on a day to day basis, on games days as well and it will stand to me as well going forward,” Boland concluded.
