Northern Ireland international winger Niall McGinn believes Derry City are about to enter a period of glittering success, despite yesterday’s FAI Ford Cup defeat to Bohemians at Dublin’s RDS.

City lost 4-2 on penalties after a controversial 120 minutes in which they should have had a penalty and had a harsh spot-kick decision go against them.

The shoot-out success meant a league and cup double for Bohemains, managed by ex-Derry boss and former Linfield hero Pat Fenlon.

Although heartbroken by the result, McGinn, who won his first cap against Hungary last week, feels that the future is bright at the Brandywell.

“I thought we were terrific over the entire game and if we can keep all of our players then we will try to go one better next season and hopefully we can achieve what Bohemians have done,” he said.

“We have a great side here and I think we can win trophies next season.”

While McGinn was looking to the future and for him that could be across the water, with Swansea keen to sgn him, Derry boss Stephen Kenny and striker Sammy Morrow, who was at the centre of key moments in the game, were fuming with the decisions that didn’t go their way.

They blamed referee Anthony Buttimer from Cork for denying Morrow an early penalty and then for awarding a spot-kick after the ball struck Morrow's hand in the second half.

"I do feel hard done by, without a doubt I do," said Kenny.

"I know two of the decisions were wrong. They were key decisions. We should have had a penalty. They shouldn't have.

“It was definitely a penalty for that foul on Sammy Morrow, it was an awkward clumsy challenge and the one that was given against him, well, I'm not sure how it can be given. I just don't see how it can be given with any level of consistency."

Morrow, scorer of Derry's two goals in the 2-2 draw after extra time, was distraught.

"I've scored two goals but I'd give up the two goals to lift the trophy,” he said.

“A lot of decisions didn't go our way. My one, the penalty given against me was never a penalty. "A lot of things didn't go our way, but as I say, when you're playing down in Dublin you don't get too many decisions.

“It's a travesty and it's baffling how we didn't lift the Cup, but when it goes to penalties it's a lottery. It's sickening to take, but we'll be back.”