Derry City defender Ryan McBride insists he holds no ill will towards Patrick Hoban of Dundalk after a challenge which left McBride in hospital after he suffered an on-pitch seizure.

McBride needed 13 minutes of treatment following a clash of heads with Hoban in the first half and Derry manager Roddy Collins claimed that the Dundalk player went out to intentionally hurt McBride.

“He done him. I believe he done him," Collins said after the game.

"I think the referee bottled it, for sure. At the end of the day, regardless of whether you win, lose or draw, someone coming in and doing someone like that is not on. It’s cowardly.”

However McBride was much more measured in his analysis of the incident and speaking to the Derry Journal the defender absolved Hoban of any blame.

"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," he said.

"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."

McBride also revealed that Hoban has been in touch to apologise for the incident. "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."

The defender suffered no long-term injury but looks set to spend a couple of weeks recovering now.

“I’ve got a sore head and a sore neck and they had to keep me in the hospital to make sure everything was okay," he said. "I'll probably be out for a couple of weeks now. I was playing well and I was trying to keep that form going."

Writing on his twitter account Hoban insisted that he meant no malice with the challenge and wished McBride a speedy recovery.