INSTITUTE: Kevin Deery happy after comfortable cup win

Deery concedes that while his team were always in control, he wanted them to have scored more goals.

“Look no disrespect to Moyola but we were technically much better, but just in those games you want to be a wee bit more ruthless,” he said.

“I thought we could have had a few more goals, but it was a tough game as the pitch was very dry and it was very warm and there was a bit of a heat reflexing up off the 3G pitch, so it was a tough game in terms of the conditions, but our players applied themselves well.

“In the second half it was very ragged and we never got good fluency in our play but all in all it was a good work-out for us.”

The Stute gaffer admits that while conditions were tough, they were exactly what he wanted.

“Look we were comfortable at half-time, so I asked the boys to start testing themselves a wee bit more in the second half, as we might need it this week at Warrenpoint,” he added.

“To be fair we dug in, we made runs and we created a few good chances; yes it wasn’t pretty, but we worked hard throughout, tried to score goals and that’s a part of our game that we have to add to this season.”

The Waterside men gave debuts to striker Sean McCarron, Dean and Stephen Curry and all three played their part in the victory and Deery feels the likes of McCarron and goalscorer Michael McCrudden have a big season ahead of them.

“I spoke to Michael and told him that the boys look up to him as a senior player now within the ranks. He showed tremendous quality at times at Moyola and it was more like him,” he stated.

“That is what we ask of him every week, he has that little bit of quality in the final third, which we need and he showed it.

“To be honest I have told Sean that this will probably be his last chance at senior football and he has to really knuckle down and get himself in tip top condition.

“We all know he has quality and we all know that he’ll score goals, we can put on sessions but it’s up to Sean now.”

McCarron opened his account with what was one of three sublime goals on the day, something which pleased Deery.

“All three goals had excellent quality; they were really, really from the top draw,” he said.

“Mickey’s (McCrudden) finish was a cushioned volley and Sean McCarron’s bit of skill and finish was excellent; Aaron Harkin scored a lovely free-kick, so the quality was certainly there.

“I thought the quality in our play at times was certainly there, but listen you have to be happy but you also realise that we have a big week ahead of us and we have to step it up a wee bit, in terms of training, qaulity and competition for places.”