Thursday, September 14, 2023

Derry City v Shamrock Rovers: Match Preview

 

Derry City FC v. Shamrock Rovers FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 30, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 15TH September 2023, kick-off 7.45pm

 

            Derry City can narrow the gap to Shamrock Rovers at the summit of the Premier Division table to just one point should they defeat the Tallaght side on Friday night. Rovers, who are chasing their fourth league title in a row, can go seven points clear should they claim victory in the Brandywell. With just six games remaining in the 2023 League of Ireland campaign, this clash between first and second has all the makings of a classic.

 

            Will Patching shone as City put five past UCD last week in their game in hand, whilst Brandon Kavanagh also netted a brace for himself. Danny Mullen scored his second goal in three games after just two minutes to set the Candystripes on the right track. The victory meant that Derry now sit four points behind Shamrock Rovers going into Friday night’s game, and all but confirmed UCD’s relegation as they lie seventeen points behind ninth placed Cork City.

 

            There is no two ways about, this clash against Rovers is the biggest game of the Premier Division season so far. City haven’t lost in the league since falling to a 1-0 defeat against the Champions in Tallaght in late June. In fact, since losing to Rovers in the Brandywell in May, Derry have won nine and drawn three of their last twelve home games. Rovers, too, haven’t tasted league defeat in over two months either. Their 2-0 away defeat against Dundalk, four days after beating Derry in June, was the last time Shamrock Rovers came away empty handed from a league game.

 

            Shamrock Rovers have beaten Derry twice in the league this season - a 2-0 win in the Brandywell in May and a 1-0 victory in Tallaght in June. City, however, defeated Rovers 2-0 in the President's Cup back in February, before beating them 2-1 in Dublin three weeks later. Rovers have won all but one of their last ten league visits to the Brandywell and won't back down from a fight on Friday.


            Both sides are full of confidence approaching the tie. Rovers have won three and drawn two of their last five league games, with their most recent victory coming in the form of a 3-0 Dublin Derby win over bitter rivals Bohemians. Derry City on the other hand, can boast four wins and a draw from their last five league fixtures. The Candystripes have been in fine goalscoring form in that time too, netting fifteen goals and conceding just four in league action. They’ll need to keep that prowess in front of goal up if they are to pip Friday’s opposition to the title. Rovers’ goal difference is currently +30, whereas City’s is +24. If City manage to win on Friday, that gulf in goal difference will decrease, but it will be a tall ask to overcome the highest scoring team in the division come November.

 

            The manner of Derry’s win against UCD meant that key players could be rested or brought off early. Michael Duffy and Jamie McGonigle were named on the bench but didn’t feature, whilst Patrick McEleney got the best part of thirty five minutes in the second half in order to increase his match fitness. Shane McEleney and Brandon Kavanagh started, whilst Sam Todd, Jordan McEneff and Cian Kavanagh saw over half an hour of action. A first team debut was also handed to 17 year old Callum McCay, who replaced Sadou Diallo on the 71st minute.

 

            Worryingly, defensive trio Ronan Boyce, Cameron Dummigan and Mark Connolly were not included in the squad against UCD, meaning it is doubtful that they will be fit in time for Rovers’ visit on Friday. It’s coming up to a year since Ciaron Harkin devastatingly re-ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, but there is no sign of an imminent return unfortunately. The knee injury which kept Colm Whelan out of action for a year was reagitated in Shamrock Rovers’ last visit to the Brandywell in May, prematurely ending his season after a prosperous start to life in Derry. Hopefully it won’t be too far into 2024 before we see the striker in a red and white shirt again. Evan McLaughlin, who has been out of action for over five months, recently underwent surgery and will begin rehabilitation.

 

            Shamrock Rovers’ primary concern is the knee injury of star man Jack Byrne, who saw a specialist in London in August. He hasn’t featured since injuring his medial knee ligaments in Rovers’ Champions League qualifying defeat to Icelandic side Breidablik in mid-July, but is expected to return before the end of the season. Neil Farrugia, one of the league’s best full backs, returned from injury to score against Bohemians two weeks ago. Prior to that game, he hadn’t played since Rovers’ 1-0 win over Derry in late June. He played just ten minutes against Bohs, so may not start on Friday despite his impressive goal in the Dublin derby. Aaron Greene hasn’t been included in a Rovers’ squad since they drew with Shelbourne on August 11th, whilst Sean Gannon hasn’t played since starting against Ferencváros a week previous.

 

            Stephen Bradley tends to set his Rovers team up with three centre backs and two, more attacking, wingbacks. Therefore, Shamrock Rovers most often play either a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 formation. With Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes and Lee Grace all appearing in more than twenty league games this season – and Sean Hoare in eighteen – Bradley has a solid defensive core. The profiles of Trevor Clarke and Sean Kavanagh in left-back, and Neil Farrugia in particular at right back, shows that Bradley has a specific mould of forward-thinking full-back in mind when setting up his teams. Clarke has seven goal involvements, Farrugia five, and Kavanagh six this term, whilst Ronan Finn – who can play right back or in the midfield – has three. That means 21 of Rovers’ 54 league goals (38.9%) have been made by, or scored by, wide defenders. This is definitely something which Ruaidhrí Higgins will be aware of.

 

            In the midfield, Rovers have quality too. Markus Poom, on loan from Levadia Tallinn, has come into his own since the injury to Jack Byrne and has contributed to seven goals this term. Richie Towell, who scored in the Brandywell earlier this season, has six goal involvements. Gary O’Neill is a tough defensive midfielder, and Graham Burke has chipped in with thirteen goals or assists this term from the left flank. Jack Byrne will be a miss in the Rovers midfield if Friday is too soon for his return, as he scored in the Brandywell in April and has made eight assists this season. Liam Burt was excellent for Bohemians last year, but has scored just once since crossing the Dublin divide in the off-season. Galway native Rory Gaffney was named both the PFAI Players’ Player of the Year and the SSE Airtricity Player of the Year for the 2022 Premier Division season. The striker has chipped in with eight goals and five assists this term and offers a physical presence in the Rovers frontline. Ireland U21 forward Johnny Kenny, on-loan from Celtic, has seven goal involvements in 27 games, whilst Aaron Greene has five in thirteen.


    Friday's game is the biggest fixture of the season and is likely where the league will be won or lost. If Derry win and cut the gap to a point, they will fancy their chances in finishing the season strongly and only need Rovers to drop points once to overtake them should City keep winning. Shamrock Rovers, with a win, will go seven points clear and will need a serious drop-off in form to not win the league for the fourth year in a row. European games aside, this is City's biggest game since the FAI Cup final last year. The Candystripe faithful will need to replicate an atmosphere akin to that against KuPS in the Brandywell during the summer if Derry are to topple the champions. It's a big one. 

 

Pól O'Hare - 13 August 2023

           

 

           

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