Derry City manager Kenny Shiels labelled a "disgrace" the decision to schedule his side's away trip to Cork for four days after their away European tie in Minsk.
Shiels's team achieved a rousing and improbable 2-1 victory away to Dinamo Minsk in the Europa League on Thursday - a win which didn't prove enough to progress them to the next round - but were hammered 5-0 by reigning champions Cork City in Turner's Cross last night.
Speaking to RTÉ afterwards, Shiels was furious that their away match in Cork, their longest trip in the league, was scheduled so soon after an away tie in eastern Europe.
"It was cruelty to my players," he told reporters.
"We've played on Thursday. We've travelled all the way home and then all the way to Cork. We haven't had one training session and they've (Cork) had five days preparation for this.
"It's bang out of order. Why they play this match now... The longest journey in the league is Cork to Derry or Derry to Cork.
"And they have this fixture the same week as the two teams are playing in Europe. They're playing Tuesday, we're playing Thursday. We're just back from the trip.
"It's a disgrace what they've done, making us play this game here on the Monday after us travelling all the way down (to Minsk) and then we've to travel six and a half hours down to Cork after it all.
"The boys are not fit. They're on their knees. It was pure fitness that won that match. It's cruelty. Absolute cruelty."
7.30 Morning Ireland sports bulletin - An irate Kenny Shiels lashes out at fixture schedulers and speculation on next Waterford manager pic.twitter.com/7lVWl68mdL
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 24, 2018
