'Players should be able to feel safe on the pitch'

Ruaidhri Higgins has expressed his disappointment that his goalkeeper Brian Maher was struck with an object during tonight’s game at Cork City, insisting players should feel safe whilst on the pitch.

The game had to be stopped midway through the second half when Maher, awaiting treatment for a leg injury, appeared to be struck by one of a number of bottles thrown in his direction from supporters in the Shed End.

The public announcer was forced to warn the fan that the game would be abandoned if the behaviour continued and Higgins admits he was surprised and disappointed at the incident.

“It was very, very disappointing,” he said. “You never like to see that. It surprises me to be honest, because I’ve always seen Cork City supporters as similar to our own; sporting and they do things right and supporter their team and get behind their team. But there were a number of objects thrown at Brian, I could see it from the dug out. It’s extremely disappointing and not what we want in the game. Players should be able to play in a really safe environment and it’s disappointing from our end that a club like this, with the history it has and the fanbase that it has, to lower themselves to that type of thing.”

Higgins however, was delighted with his team’s display as they got back to winning ways in the league with a 3-1 victory.

“It’s a brilliant win and I’m delighted with it,” he stated. “The players are ecstatic in there. I think in the first 15-20 minutes, physically they got on top of us and we knew that was the way it was going to be because that’s how they play. But after that period, when we weathered that bit of a storm, we thoroughly controlled the game and we deservedly take the three points home.”