Robbie Horgan: 5.5
Inexcusable error for the third goal at a time when we were playing Shels off the park.
Barry Burke: 8.5
Outstanding in both defence and attack. His impending suspension is a blow, but with Toccy approaching full fitnesss the impact should be lessened.
Keith Foy: 6.5
Fairly poor in patches, not bad in others. Textbook right-hand-edge-of-the-box free-kick produced our goal, which has been variously credited to Foy, Robbie Collins (!!) and Paul Crowley (looked like an o.g. to me.)
Wes Byrne: 6
Neither conspicuously at fault nor obviously outstanding before being replaced at half-time, presumably due to injury.
Ben Whelehan: 5
Worst game yet from Ben, another who collaborated on the masterpiece of slapstick comedy that was Byrne's hat-trick goal.
Cathal O'Connor: 7
Squeezed out of the game for long spells, but showed his ability when he got the opportunity. Needs to produce a big performance in Derry.
Killian Brennan: 8
Outstanding first half, somewhat marginalised before being replaced with Scully for the last seventeen minutes. Maturing into the fine player with the potential to explode in the second half of the season. A tricky winger of the old school.
Dom Tierney: 6.5
See last week's assessment (minus the goal.) Competent performance, not enough urgency.
Jason Colwell: 5
Poor on the night.
Gary O'Neill: 7
First things first, what ON EARTH was he doing on the right-hand side for the first half, and why wasn't he switched to his more familiar forward position immediately we went behind?? Totally ineffective in his wide role (which is hardly Gary's fault) but again showed his class when pushed up alongside Philly in the second period. Should have been awarded two penalties whilst we were 0-2 down. Kept playing like a lone striker and trying to do too much during our spell of dominance, which wasn't what the circumstances required.
Philly Hughes: 7.5
Always looked dangerous, just couldn't work himself into a shooting position for much of the night. Isolated in the first half.
SUBS
Paul Crowley: 7.5
Solid in central defence when he replaced Wes Byrne for the second half (bar his involvement in the goal-that-should-never-be-mentioned-again, but that wasn't really his fault), and magnificient in midfield during the final scramble for a goal. Shame he wasn't fit enough to start.
Ray Scully and Pierre Ennis: 6 apiece
Not on long enough to earn a proper rating, both did okay.
