Derry defender McBride absolves Hoban of any blame for injury

Ryan McBride

Derry City’s Ryan McBride has absolved Dundalk striker Patrick Hoban of any blame for his role in the incident that led to the defender being hospitalised on Monday night.

The pair clashed heads just before the half hour mark of the Lilywhites’ 3-0 win, with both players requiring lengthy treatment.

McBride was in such a bad way that he needed medical attention on the field and was later removed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for treatment and observation overnight.

Hoban received abuse from a number of Derry fans on Twitter after the game and had to plead his innocence.

The matter was not helped by the fact that Candystripes boss Roddy Collins claimed that Hoban had set out to ‘do’ McBride, branding him cowardly in the process.

Thankfully, McBride returned to training yesterday and told The Derry Journal that he didn’t think Hoban meant any malice.

In fact, the brave defender revealed that he has since received a text message from Hoban apologising for the incident and wishing him well in his recovery.

“All I remember is going up for the ball and winning it but after that it was lights out and I don’t know what happened immediately after that,” recalled McBride. “Next thing I remember was waking up in hospital.”

McBride doesn’t believe there was any malice in the challenge.

“I don’t think Hoban meant it. He actually sent me a text today saying that he felt sorry for what happened and told me he didn’t mean to do it and he was hoping I was okay.

“I don’t remember much about the actual incident. I know I won the ball first but I don’t remember the aftermath and getting stretchered off the pitch.

“I don’t think he intentionally went out to do me damage. In football you do everything to win three points and score goals but you don’t go out to hurt people.”

The matter gained such publicity that prior to McBride’s comments, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny had issued a statement to fans on the matter.

He said: “It’s very rare that I feel the need to send a direct message out to supporters but I feel it’s important that I do so following the unfortunate incident involving Ryan McBride and Patrick Hoban on Monday night.

“I gave Ryan McBride his debut for Derry City and he is one of the bravest players I have ever managed. He is a very committed professional and I was very sorry to see him get hurt on Monday night.

“In terms of bravery, commitment and honesty Patrick Hoban is actually very similar. The TV replays of the incident show two committed players trying to win an aerial duel. The footage shows clearly that this was a completely accidental clash of heads and any statement to the contrary is grossly irresponsible.

“As well as being top-class for Dundalk FC since I signed him for the club before the start of last year, Patrick has an outstanding disciplinary record. Some of the comments being made about Patrick have been incredibly unfair. The referee got the decision absolutely spot-on. It was a very unfortunate accident.

“I would like to wish Ryan a speedy recovery. I would also like to commend our club doctor Dr Samir Akhal for his role in treating Ryan quickly while under intense pressure. Dr Akhal has been in contact with Ryan and we were glad to hear that he was discharged from hospital today. I would also like to commend the paramedics who assisted the doctor in his work.

“Dundalk Football Club would also like to thank Dr Paul O’Reilly, a season-ticket holder, who offered his assistance on Monday night.”

Dundalk striker Hoban insists he never set out to hurt Derry’s McBride

Pat Hoban after collecting the SWAI Player of the Month award last season

Dundalk striker Pat Hoban has taken to Twitter to insist he did not mean to intentionally hurt Derry City defender Ryan McBride in last night’s 3-0 victory at Oriel Park.

The pair clashed heads in the 29^th minute with a 13 minute stoppage ensuing as both players required treatement.

McBride by far came out worse from the incident though having swallowed his tongue before being stretchered off and taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

After the game, a number of Candystripes fans took to Twitter to hit out at Hoban with threats and abuse towards the Galway native.

The situation wasn’t helped by an interview which Derry City boss Roddy Collins gave after the game, in which he branded Hoban as “cowardly”.

“I believe he done him,” said the Derry boss before adding that he felt the referee Tom Connolly “bottled it” by not sending off the striker, who had already been booked for an earlier challenge on the defender.

Commenting on Twitter this morning, Hoban explained that he was jumping in the air to contest the ball and didn’t mean to hurt anyone.

He said: “To say I went on to the pitch to hurt some1 is beyond ridiculous contesting for the ball nothing more. Hope Mcbride is okay #speedyrecovery.”

Collins blasts Oriel Park as the “worst pitch in the world” ahead of Derry’s visit to Dundalk

Derry City boss Roddy Collins has fanned the flames ahead of his side’s visit to face Dundalk tonight by branding the surface at Oriel Park as the “worst pitch in the world.”

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, the former Lilywhites player said he expects a “war of attrition” tonight with the game likely to be decided in the closing stages as the Candystripes look to build on their first win of the season against Sligo Rovers on Friday.

“The team that comes out on top tonight will have been the team who have recovered most and didn’t pick up any injuries from Friday night’s games and we had a far tougher game than them obviously, as they won 4-1,” he admitted.

“But it’s going to be a war of attrition for the first hour and the side who are conditioned properly and can sustain things after the war of attrition will, in my opinion, come out on top.

“There won’t be a lot of great football played in that hour. I watched them against Shamrock Rovers in the Setanta Cup and I don’t think there will be a bound of attractive football in that 60 minutes, but then we’ll see who can come out on top after that.”

Collins also criticised the surface at Oriel Park, but said he wouldn’t be using that as a excuse if they don’t get anything from the game.

“It’s the worst pitch in the world, not even in Ireland, but the world, but we won’t be even mentioning it because at the end of the day we are going to have to play on it.

“Look, at the end of the day we know what we have to do, we aren’t conceding a lot of goals. We have conceded from a few set-pieces so we are really, really tight at the back.

“I said before Friday night’s game if we could get four points from our next two games it would be brilliant, if we got six it would be absolute tops, so if we come home with one I wouldn’t be unhappy.”

Derry have doubts over Roddy Collins Jr (dead leg) and central defender David Elebert (groin) but should have Ryan McBride, Patrick McEleney and Barry Molloy all available for selection.

John Mountney and Darren Meenan are slight doubts for Dundalk, who will be looking to build on their impressive 4-1 victory over St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday.

Kick-off tonight is at 7.45pm.