Declan Devine has hit out at two refereeing decisions he feels cost Bohemians in their derby defeat to Shamrock Rovers.
The league leaders lost 2-0 at Tallaght Stadium last night after second-half goals from Trevor Clarke and Rory Gaffney.
But the Gypsies boss feels Clarke was offside when he tapped home after James Talbot made a brilliant save to keep out a Johnny Kenny header.
And with 13 minutes to play, Bohs appeared to be denied a penalty when Jonathan Afolabi went down under a Dan Cleary challenge from behind.
Bohs’ argued the call with the match officials but were waved away and Gaffney rubbed salt in the wounds by heading home the clincher five minutes later.
Devine said: “The first goal is offside and then it’s a stonewall penalty.
“We’ve let the crosses for the first and second goal come into the box too easily, but you can't legislate for two massive calls in the game.
“I'm not here to have a go at referees, we all make mistakes, but that's two very defining moments in the game that have really cost us.
“We had chances in the game that we have to take, but those were two big calls in the game that have had a huge influence on the result.”
Devine reviewed the penalty call back before speaking to media immediately after the game - and wasn’t happy.
“I spoke to the boy (Afolabi) and watched it on the laptop there. Jon gets a touch first and then Dan Cleary who comes in and he connects with our boy.
“Not only is it a penalty, I think it's going to end up as a sending off if it's given. It's a decision that has really hurt us at 1-0 and it's a massive turning point in the game.”
Devine continued: “I can see it from (the dugout) that he has caught him. I can see he hasn't connected with the ball from here, and I'm 35 or 40 yards away.
“It's a very clear decision for me but these things even out. It's very disappointing because of the magnitude of the game and it's a massive moment.
“If we get that, and potentially they go down to 10-men, then there’s one team in the ascendancy.
“But we have to understand that they are the champions and have been together a long time and we're together for a short period of time.
“We have to be better than what we were tonight and I think we can be, especially in both boxes. But the result has gone now and we have to get ready for next week.”
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