Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins was left to rue a penalty decision that went against his side in their scoreless draw with Bohemians at the Brandywell.
A game for few clear-cut chances will be remembered most for the 90th minute decision by referee Damien MacGraith who turned down Derry appeal for a penalty after what appeared to be a double handball by Bohemians defender Krystian Nowak.
With the clock ticking over into injury time, Nowak connected with a cross into Bohemians box with his right hand, sending the ball into the ground before it bounced up to hit his out-stretched left hand.
Derry players and supporters appealed vociferously towards MacGraith who appeared to be well placed but all he waved play-on.
That decision proved to be crucial as the game ended without a game and afterwards Higgins was unable to hide his frustration at the call.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: "For the life of me I'll never know how we didn’t get it.
"We’re in a tricky moment at the minute and that’s when you rely on decisions to be right. You’re not asking for special treatment.
"That’s a huge decision, it’s extremely late in the game, we’re on top in that period and it’s a real key moment in the game that’s gone against us."
To rub salt into his wounds, Higgins was booked for appealing for the penalty.
"I got a yellow card for appealing for a penalty that we should have got," he said.
"Football’s an emotional game, of course you’re going to appeal. I didn’t use any [bad] language whatsoever, I appealed for a handball that we should have got and I get a yellow card.
"Sometimes people have to understand that this in an emotional game."
Despite the outcome, Higgins was impressed with the character shown by his side who came into the game, having claimed just one point from their previous three games.
"The players’ commitment and endeavour tonight was on the money," he said. We weren’t brilliant by any stretch but we created some decent chances.
"We played with more passion, more intensity on a difficult pitch and the players gave everything we asked of them tonight.
"It’s a bare minimum, but no-one’s left anything out there tonight."
FT Derry City 0-0 Bohs
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 9, 2023
A stalemate at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, but the hosts had a big, big shout for a penalty in the 90th minute https://t.co/wkFz57EeLZ #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/Vxl5Inym2X
