Derry City manager Ruaidhrí Higgins feels goalkeeper Brian Maher is the best in the county.
The 22-year-old net-minder made a host of top class saves in City's 1-0 win at Drogheda United on Friday night, but his point-blank range save to deny Frederick Draper was the pick of the bunch.
"It was an amazing save from Brian and as I said in the build up to the game when you come here you're going to have a wee period were you're going to have to defend well," Higgins said.
"They have that period against everybody when they put you under pressure and put balls into your box and Brian has made an amazing save when we needed him most.
"People talk about Brian's distribution with his feet and all that, but he's an all round top class goalkeeper.
"He takes crosses, he makes saves, he's got brilliant feet and he's the best in the land for me."
Adam O'Reilly's first City goal! pic.twitter.com/bGJbY6lP19
— Derry City FC (@derrycityfc) May 5, 2023
While Maher and goalcorer Adam O'Reilly will grab all the headlines, Higgins also felt that Shane McEleney, Cameron McJannet and Sadou Diallo also played a big role in their hard fought win at Weaver Park.
"I thought that Brian, our two centre-backs and our two midfield players were outstanding, they fought and dug-in to get a big three points, which we needed," he added.
"Against (Shamrock) Rovers we didn't compete and that was really disappointing but tonight we've won in a way that's really satisfying.
"Sometimes these games you have to win ugly and those types of wins are more satisfying than winning in a really nice way and the players showed real character tonight.
"People would say that a lot of our leaders are unavailable to us and they are injured but the leaders on the pitch tonight stood up and were counted.
"Shane and Cam were brilliant because there were balls coming into our box from everywhere. They've big physical players at the top end of the pitch and they kept three up and put balls in our box, but we managed it well for the main part of it.
"I felt the two centre-backs deserve a lot of credit, because they won a lot of headers and gave everything."
O'Reilly's first half strike, which was his first for the club, was enough to seal the three points and Higgins believes there's more to come from the ex-St Patrick's Athletic man.
"It's brilliant for Adam, he's got that energy, running power and drive and I think there's more goals in him," he confirmed.
"He's also got that hunger to get up into the box as well, so it's up to me to let him off the leash a bit and let him get on and be an attacking threat as well, which I'm sure he can be."
