Defensive problems

Regular pairing Jay Magee and Willo McDonagh both received their marching orders from referee Brian Turkington at the Oval on Saturday and so Haughey, who has recently overcome a bout of tendonitis, and midfielder Conor Walsh are set to take their places.

“Mark Haughey has had a bit of tendonitis but he came through the reserve game, got 90 minutes and did a good job in there. There’s a possibility that Conor Walsh will link up with him at centre-back on Saturday, those are my thoughts at the minute anyway,” said manager Marty Quinn.

The boss was enraged at the dismissals of both of his central defenders last Saturday and was far from impressed at the overall performance of referee Brian Turkington:

“It was bad refereeing on Saturday. I have to condemn the referee’s handling of the game now that I’ve had time to look back at it. Why was Jay (Magee) booked in the first half? Leeman should have had a red card for the challenge. He lunged in with two feet and it was a straight red as far as I’m concerned. As for Jay’s second yellow, I don’t really know what happened there.

“As managers have said, when you play the Big Two, things don’t go for you and you don’t get the big decisions.”