Double Preview: Derry City away to Dundalk and home to Waterford

 

Double Preview: Derry City away to Dundalk and home to Waterford

 

Friday 31^st May 2024: Dundalk FC v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 18, Oriel Park, kick-off 7.45pm

 

Monday 3^rd June 2024: Derry City FC v Waterford FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 19, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, kick-off pm

 

Last weekend: Derry City 2-2 Sligo Rovers –

As Derry prepared to face Sligo Rovers last Friday, a team who had won just once in their previous nine fixtures, they knew that a win could close the gap on table-topping Shelbourne. Ruaidhrí Higgins was looking for a reaction as his City side were coming off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Shamrock Rovers earlier in the week, in a match where a win could have sent them top.

The first half was a scrappy affair, as referee Rob Hennessy pulled the game back for nineteen fouls – fifteen of which were committed by the away team. Sligo had opened the scoring after eighteen minutes, when Reece Hutchinson’s deflected cross from the left flank deceived Brian Maher and looped into the corner. Rovers were lucky to keep all eleven men on the pitch after Conor Reynolds’ lunge on Will Patching caught the City midfielder above the knee. The young centre back received a yellow card for the challenge, much to the dismay of the City faithful.

The home side flew out of the blocks in the second half though, with Michael Duffy pouncing on a defensive error to slide past Ed McGinty five minutes after the restart. As Derry momentum was building, a loose pass from Brian Maher saw Niall Morahan one-on-one with the City shot-stopper before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. Will Patching’s 83^rd minute penalty rescued a point for City, who were disappointed not to claim all three after recording 73% possession and 24 shots across the 96 minutes. Shelbourne’s 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers sees them go six clear at the summit, whilst Derry maintain a three point buffer on Rovers in third.

 

Derry City:

Despite the poor first half, Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men threatened considerably more in the second 45. The introductions of Patrick McEleney, Cameron Dummigan and Cameron McJannet at half-time gave City a bit more solidity and creativity. McEleney’s ball to Paul McMullan, which won Derry the penalty late on, was a pinpoint switch of play from deep inside City’s half. Sam Todd started alongside Shane McEleney, but the 25 year old seemed to have a bloody calf towards the end of the first half and was one of three substituted at the break. Diallo was replaced, presumably for more creativity going forward, whilst Cameron Dummigan’s was introduced in place of Ronan Boyce.

 

The Candystripe’s downfall in the first half on Friday was a lack of intensity in the press. As was the case in the second half, it was runs at the defence from Michael Duffy and Paul McMullan which forced Sligo into two defensive mistakes – the first leading to Duffy’s goal and the second winning a penalty. Dundalk have conceded 25 in 17 this term, so a high press could be the key to netting a couple of goals down in Oriel Park. Derry also seemed to be given more freedom to shoot from outside the area in the second half, and with the talent of City’s midfielders, this will surely wield goals from the likes of McEleney and Patching if afforded more often.

Dundalk:

The best way to summarise Dundalk’s season to date is that they’ve had more managers than wins. After internal turmoil towards the end of last season, which saw Brian Ainscough take over as owner and club legend Pat Hoban leave, Dundalk had to wait until the seventh game of the 2024  campaign to gain their first win. They’ve only won once more since, when John Mountney’s 91^st strike saw Dundalk overcome Shamrock Rovers. Manager Stephen O’Donnell was sacked and replaced by Noel King, who’s stint only lasted 25 days as he left citing medical issues. Jon Daly, sacked by St. Pat’s just a few weeks ago, is the new manager of the Lilywhites. His first home game in charge will come on Friday, as Ruaidhrí Higgins men must be wary of the new manager bounce.

Dundalk, who finished third as recently as 2022, find themselves rock bottom of the Premier Division table. With nine losses, six draws and just two wins after seventeen fixtures, it’s apparent that Jon Daly has quite the job on his hands if his Dundalk side are to avoid relegation. They sit three points behind their Louth neighbours Drogheda United and seven points from safety. Only Drogheda have conceded more goals than the Lilywhites this season, whilst the Oriel Park side’s goal return of nine is four less than the next worst – Galway United’s tally of thirteen. Jamie Gullan and Robbie Benson have bagged three goals each this season, with the former also registering one assist. John Mountney, Scott High and Ryan O’Kane have also scored once this season, whilst Daryl Horgan tops Dundalk’s assist chart with two.

Derry City haven’t lost to Dundalk since November 2022, winning three and drawing two of the following five fixtures. Furthering that, Dundalk haven’t beaten the Candystripes in Oriel Park since June 2021, when current City forwards Dan Kelly and Pat Hoban netted for the Lilywhites. City have won just three of their last twenty-one games in Oriel Park though – once last year, once in 2021 and once eleven years ago, back in 2013. The Lilywhites also haven't conceded in any of their last six home games. Derry have netted fifteen goals across their last four meetings with Dundalk though, including a 4-1 win earlier this season. 

 

Waterford:

In their first season back in the Premier Division since 2021, Waterford find themselves fifth in the table. Seven wins, four draws and six losses from their first seventeen games back in the division certainly isn’t a bad return and, with a record of four wins in their last five, the Munster side are in a good place. Their last two home games have been 4-2 and 4-1 wins over Drogheda United and Dundalk respectively, whilst Keith Long’s men recorded an impressive 3-1 away win against Shamrock Rovers in early May. The Blues are behind just Derry City and Shamrock Rovers in the scoring charts this season, netting 24 in 17 games.

Pádraig Almond, brought back to Ireland after an illustrious spell in the English Football League after leaving in 2010, has bagged eight goals so far this campaign. The 36 year old scored a thirteen minute hat-trick against Drogheda last time out as his side overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 4-2. Only Pat Hoban has found the net more times than Amond in the league this season. Winger Maleace Asamoah has scored six times too, leaving him joint sixth top scorer in the league – level with Shelbourne’s Sean Boyd. The Fleetwood Town loanee has been a joy to watch for Waterford fans this campaign. Darragh Leahy has scored twice and assisted twice from left-back so far too.

Derry City have met Waterford twice this season, winning 3-0 in the Brandywell in March and 2-0 in the RSC in April. The Candystripes have only lost once in their last eight home games in all competitions against the Munster side too – that came back in April 2021. Cameron McJannet’s goal for City that day wasn’t enough to earn a point, but it marked his first for the club, and his first senior goal since scoring the equaliser for Ashton against Leamington in the National League North in April 2019, almost two years to the day prior.

Round-up:

The Friday-Monday game weekends have been coming thick and fast this weekend for clubs involved in Europe. Derry, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne and St. Pat’s have all played two more games than the rest of the division as fixtures have been brought forward to avoid congestion in July and August. Those four sides are past the half-way marks in their seasons, but it has left the door open for other clubs to capitalise on games in hand. For example, Galway United currently sit fourth on 27 points. Six points from their two games in hand would see them at 33 – two more than what Derry City currently sit on in second place. Similarly at the bottom of the table, the four teams beneath St. Pat’s could theoretically leapfrog them if results were to go a certain way.

It just shows how close the table is this season and with Shamrock Rovers still struggling to kickstart their season, the opportunity is there for others to capitalise. Shelbourne’s six point lead at the top looks healthy once again, whilst Derry City will need to turn draws into wins if they’re to win a first title since 1997. It feels like, even at this stage, every weekend could determine the outcome of the season.

 

Pól O’Hare – 29^th May 2024

Derry City v Sligo Rovers: Match Preview

 

Derry City v Sligo Rovers: Match Preview

Derry City FC v. Sligo Rovers FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 17, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Friday 24^th May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

It was another rollercoaster weekend for Derry City who spoiled Stephen Kenny’s welcoming party at St. Patrick’s Athletic with a 1-0 victory in Inchicore on Friday night. With all eyes on Richmond Park, who welcomed its largest crowd of the campaign, the former Republic of Ireland manager’s homecoming didn’t go quite to plan as Paul McMullan cooly slid the ball under Danny Rogers late in the second half. That result, coupled with Shamrock Rovers’ defeat away to Dundalk, meant that City had the opportunity to put an eight point gap between themselves and the Tallaght side with a win on Monday night.

 

Early pressure from the champions resulted in Adam O’Reilly clearing the ball from the line after just two minutes. Just four minutes later, Johnny Kenny pounced on Graham Burke’s rebounded shot to find the bottom corner and put Rovers ahead. It could’ve gotten worse for City, who needed Brian Maher to save a Burke penalty to stop the Hoops’ advantage doubling. In truth, Derry didn’t threaten Rovers on Monday night, as Leon Pohls was a spectator for most of precedings. Stephen Bradley’s side could have had four of five on the night, and it was one of those ones that Ruaidhrí Higgins will be hoping to move on from soon.

 

Shelbourne’s 96^th minute winner of St. Pat’s on Monday evening means that Damien Duff’s men now see themselves four points clear at the top. Shels play Shamrock Rovers on Friday night, who are now just two points behind Derry and six from the summit. At the halfway point of the season, the Candystripes haven’t beaten any of the current top four. They’ve drawn twice against Shelbourne, lost one and drawn one against Galway whilst losing two and drawing once against Shamrock Rovers. That’s four points from a possible twenty one. It’s a worrying statistic for Ruaidhrí Higgins, but it shows that City need to gain a bit of cutting edge against their fellow title and European challengers.

 

In saying that, being four points from top spot eighteen games in isn’t a bad return. Three of Derry’s next four matches are at home, and with just two losses in the Brandywell this season, the Candystripes will be searching for maximum points from those fixtures. Pat Hoban was a miss on Monday night as it being evident that City lacked a focal point in attack. The return of Cameron Dummigan to the starting eleven, for the first time since late February, was certainly a boost though. Patrick McEleney played all of the second half, whilst Sadou Diallo appeared from the bench to gain more match fitness after suffering a knee injury in preseason. The former Manchester City midfielder performed particularly well on Friday and Monday, especially considering the nature and length of his injury.

 

Sligo Rovers started the campaign well, losing two just two of their first eight games and recording an impressive 5-0 away win against Dundalk in early March. Since beating Waterford 1-0 nearly two months ago though, Sligo have lost five of their last nine matches, winning just once and drawing the other three. Injuries to key players have hit the Bit’O’Red squad hard and the departure of striker Max Mata, who scored four and assisted three this campaign, will be a big loss for John Russell’s side. Centre backs John Mahon and Nando Pijnaker are out long-term with Achilles and rib injuries, whilst former Derry winger Will Fitzgerald will miss out, alongside Simon Power.

 

Fabrice Hartmann is a standout player on the wing. The RB Leipzig loanee has five goal involvements this term from the right flank. Midfielder Ellis Chapman, who scored four against Derry City in pre-season, leads the Rovers’ scoring charts with four, alongside the aforementioned Max Mata. Only six players have scored for Sligo this term, just three of whom have bagged more than one. Their injury issues and loss of Mata have been hurting them at the top of the end of the pitch. In Sligo’s last game, a 3-0 home defeat against Bohemians, they maintained 62% of possession and got away six shots. The visitors, in comparison, had just three more shots and two more on target, but managed to find the net three times. Rovers only had 7 touches in their oppositions penalty box, compared to the 16 of Bohs. John Russell’s men have no problem holding onto the ball, but seem to be really lacking some clinicality up front. (Apparently clinicality isn’t a word but it works here).

 

Sitting in eighth place, just three points clear of the relegation zone, and despite scoring just three in their last nine games whilst conceding fourteen, Sligo Rovers have been something of a bogey team in recent times. Last season, when City needed a win to keep their title hopes alive, and on a night when Shamrock Rovers dropped points to UCD, Higgins’ men travelled to Sligo. Derry had Ronan Boyce sent off and were denied a clear penalty when Cian Kavanagh was felled by goalkeeper Richard Brush, Stefan Radosavljevic scored six minutes from time to clinch the points for the home side. Will Fitzgerald scored after just three minutes last May in the Showgrounds as Derry fell to defeat in Sligo, but Will Patching’s 95^th minute winner in the Brandywell in July avenged that earlier defeat. The two sides have met once this season, back in February when an uneventful 0-0 draw was played out. Derry lost Patrick McEleney and Cameron Dummigan to injury in the first half that night - neither of whom have returned to full fitness.

 

A 5-4 win in pre-season shows that this game can produce goals, and Sligo haven’t beaten Derry in the Brandywell since July 2020, but Rovers haven’t scored more than once in a match since the 16^th of March and Derry haven’t since the end of April. The City boss will hope that his side regain some confidence and put in a big performance on Friday as the Candystripes aim to return to winning ways.

Pól O'Hare - 22nd May 2024 

 

Double Preview: St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City, Shamrock Rovers v Derry City

 

Double Preview: St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City, Shamrock Rovers v Derry City

 

St Patrick’s Athletic FC v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 16, Richmond Park, Friday 17^th May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

Shamrock Rovers FC v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 25, Tallaght Stadium, Monday 20^th May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

After conceding a late equaliser to Shelbourne and missing the chance to go top nine days ago, Derry City struck five minutes from time to beat Bohemians and stay within touching distance of first position. Michael Duffy swept past Bohs’ netminder Kacper Chorazka in the 85^th minute to give the Candystripes all three points after a relatively even affair on Friday night.

 

Up next for Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men are two difficult back-to-back away matches against St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday and Shamrock Rovers on Monday. The Saints have been front and centre in terms of Irish football news in recent days after speculation heavily linking Stephen Kenny with the vacant manager’s job came to fruition. Jon Daly, who guided Pats to cup glory last campaign, was relieved of his duties after a 1-0 loss to Sligo Rovers – a result which left the Inchicore side 7^th in the table. Stephen Kenny, who won six trophies as Derry City manager, had been unemployed since leaving his post as Republic of Ireland boss last November. The 52 year old is the  most successful League of Ireland manager of the modern era after his spell with Dundalk where he won five league titles, three FAI Cups and two League Cups as well as qualifying for the Europa League Group Stages. Landing the Dubliner on a five year deal is a clear statement of intent from Pats. The man who mentored Ruaidhrí Higgins during his time as both a player and coach at Dundalk, as well as a player at Derry City, will face him in the opposing dugout on Friday.

 

Shamrock Rovers have also been in the news recently after they secured a sponsorship deal with Sharp Group to install LED perimeter advertising boards for Tallaght Stadium. The deal has been described as the largest ever commercial sponsorship in League of Ireland history and will bring around €650k which will go towards funding professional contracts for academy players. The club hope to generate up to €1m across the four-year partnership in something that can be seen as a positive for the League of Ireland as a whole. It’s clear that Tallaght is the best stadium in the league, but the added signage will give it an even more professional and high-end feel. The fact that the revenue is earmarked to contribute to youth players breaking into the senior team is crucial in a sustainable model for a modern football club. Fair played to Rovers.

 

Back to on the pitch matters and Derry City welcomed back Patrick McEleney into the team after a near-two month absence through injury. Sadou Diallo, injured in pre-season, got the best part of a half-hour into the tank to make his second appearance of the campaign. Michael Duffy made a scoring return to the squad after a niggling injury picked up against Shamrock Rovers, whilst Sam Todd saw his first action since the 0-0 draw with Shelbourne back on April first. Ruaidhrí Higgins will be glad to get some of his key players fit and firing for the upcoming schedule.

 

Last week’s win against Bohemians leaves the Candystripes in second, just one point from top spot and with a superior goal difference than table-topping Shelbourne. Shels and Shamrock Rovers both dropped points last weekend drawing with Drogheda United and St. Pat’s respectively. It’s only been three and a half weeks since we last played Rovers and Pat’s in a double-header, coming out with a 3-1 win and a 3-1 loss, but this time it could be a real opportunity to go out and make a statement against two sides who had league-winning aspirations coming into the campaign. Despite being third, it feels like Rovers are still the team to beat, whilst Pat’s’ squad is rich on quality and could turn any team in the league over on their day.

 

As I’ve said, Shamrock Rovers and St. Pat’s played out a 2-2 draw last weekend. Former City midfielder Brandon Kavanagh racked up his eighth assist of the campaign – three higher than Shamrock Rovers’ Dylan Watts to render himself the outright assist leader in the division. 16 year old striker Mason Melia’s cool finish, clipping the ball over Leon Pohls to level the scores in the second half, has done the rounds on social media. He looks like he’ll turn out to be a quality player. In terms of Rovers, they had 19 shots in that game – 10 of which were on target. Combine that with 59% possession, and the fact that Pat’s’ goalkeeper Danny Rogers was forced into making 8 saves, it shows that Stephen Bradley’s men are relentless in searching for goals.

 

The usual suspects are to be watched for both teams this weekend. Neil Farrugia and Jack Byrne are both back from injury, whilst Aaron Greene has a scoring ratio of one in two and Darragh Burns has contributed to seven goals in fifteen games. If there’s a weakness in the Rovers team, it’s probably in the goalkeeping position. Leon Pohls has had some shaky moments in the past but has proven himself as Rovers’ number one keeper this term. Still, his slip prior to Melia’s equaliser gave the striker ample opportunity to lift the ball over him. In terms of Pat’s’ dangers on Friday, there’s no denying the quality in midfield. I had a feeling that selling Brandon Kavanagh might come back to bite Derry, and with the Dubliner on top of the assist charts it’s fair to say he’ll be a threat on Friday. Chris Forrester needs no introduction, whilst Jamie Lennon and Aaron Bolger add to a very solid midfield. If Jon Daly didn’t stick with the back five as much, I’d say Pat’s would be considerably closer to the summit than they currently are now.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but it’s another massive weekend in the title race. With how tight the top of the table is at the minute – just three points separating the top three – any slip up could completely derail a title challenge. Rovers haven’t quite clicked into gear just yet, Shelbourne’s once eight point gap has dwindled to just one and a win for Waterford in their game in hand could have them joint third. The standard of the bottom half of the table has made the rest of the league more competitive, and it’s for the better. City have lost just one of their last eleven league games against Pats, but haven't beaten Shamrock Rovers in over a year. Two big performances on Friday and Monday could go a long way and, after these two games, Derry will only play both St. Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers once more before the campaign’s over in November.

 

Pól O’Hare – 16th May 2024

Derry City v Bohemians: Match Preview

 

Derry City v Bohemians: Match Preview

 

Derry City FC v. Bohemian FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 15, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Friday 10^th May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

Derry City missed out on the chance to go top of the Premier Division table on Monday night after slipping to draws against Galway United and Shelbourne over the weekend. The Candystripes’ winless run in Galway will extend past the nine year mark when the sides next meet in late August, whilst Monday’s 1-1 draw with Shelbourne marks the sixth draw in the last seven fixtures between the two.

 Despite City keeping nearly 70% of the ball against Galway, both sides fashioned six shots each – with each team registering just one shot a piece on target. The visitors came painfully close on the 90^th minute mark as a curling Will Patching effort from distance crashed off the crossbar. That point, and an away win on Monday over Bohemians, means that Galway now find themselves in fourth spot, four points behind Derry with a game in hand.

 

Monday evening’s fixture against table-toppers Shelbourne had a big-game feel to it and, despite the closure of Block K, the atmosphere lived up to the occasion. With Shamrock Rovers losing 3-1 at home to Waterford earlier in the day, City had a golden opportunity to go top for the first time since the 1^st of March. Damien Duff, too, knew that a win in the Brandywell would open a four point gap between his side and the champions. Neither side really dominated in the first half, with Paul McMullan coming closest when his right-footed volley from outside the box struck the post.

 

The Scottish winger, who was a standout performer on Monday, finally found his first goal in red and white ten minutes into the second half though. With Shelbourne’s defence under pressure, a combination of a loose pass and an out-of-position Conor Kearns meant that McMullan’s shot from distance would nestle into the bottom corner, giving City the lead. After thirty-three minutes at the top of the pile, Shels substitute Sean Boyd flicked Will Jarvis’ cross into the corner, sending the away end into raptures and keeping the Reds at the summit for another week. Derry probably could’ve done with an injection of energy in the front line after about the 75^th minute, but Danny Mullen’s introduction in the 93^rd minute was too late to impact the game. Sadou Diallo was a welcomed return as he featured for the first time this campaign, but the City faithful will have to wait even longer for a win over Shelbourne and a return to first place.

 

This Friday’s opponents, Bohemians, have had an up and down first fourteen matches. Winning just three of their first seven games, the Phibsborough side sacked their Derry-native manager Declan Devine in early March. Former City assistant Alan Reynolds left his post as Keith Long’s right-hand-man at Waterford to take the helm in Dalymount, immediately revitalising his squad to win their first five of their first seven games under his leadership. Since beating Drogheda United 1-0 on the 19^th of April though, Bohs have picked up just one point from the last three fixtures. That point came in the Dublin derby against Shamrock Rovers, but losing 2-0 away to Dundalk – the Lilywhites' first win of the season – and to a ten-man Galway United at home, will raise concerns with the Bohemian’s faithful.

 

Currently sat fifth, level on points with Galway United in fourth and four points behind both Derry and Rovers with a game in hand, a win for Bohemians on Friday would put them right back in the mix for European spots. The Gypsies handed City their first loss of the season, triumphing 2-1 down in Dalymount on the 15th of March. They’ve also beaten Shelbourne and St. Pat’s this season, so Reynold’s men are certainly not to be underestimated. Only this week former Pat’s and Dundalk manager Stephen O’Donnell was named as the assistant to Alan Reynolds, so it seems like some stability on and off the pitch will do Bohemians no harm.

 

Top scorer for Bohs this season is none other than James Akintunde, the former Derry City striker who made the switch to Dalymount ahead of the 2023 season. He struggled with injuries last term, but four goals and an assist in eleven league games marks the Englishman’s best run of form in the red and black jersey. Dayle Rooney, signed from Drogheda United in the off-season, has made a good start to life in Phibsborough too, scoring once and registering four assists in thirteen games this campaign. Jordan Flores, clinical from dead-ball situations, has notched three goals this season – two coming from the penalty spot. Hull City defender Jevon Mills has been solid since signing on-loan too, impressing in a new-look backline.

 

Derry City haven’t beaten Bohemians in the Brandywell since September 2022, when a Michael Duffy wondergoal clinched the points for Derry. You have to go back another two years to find the previous Derry win in the Brandywell, Stephen Mallon and Walter Figueira scored in the second half to claim a 2-0 win for the Candystripes in the last home game with fans for over a year due to the Covid pandemic. Derry could keep the two year trend going with a win over Reynolds’ side on Friday. Five of the last nine league games between the two on Foyleside have ended in draws, whilst both sides beat each other away from home last campaign. 
It’s a tough few matches coming up for City, who face St. Patricks Athletic and Shamrock Rovers away the weekend after next. The draw with Shelbourne was the first time this season that Derry didn’t win after scoring first, but six draws from fifteen games shows that City could do with turning single points into three as soon as possible.

Pól O'Hare - 8 May 2024

Galway United v Derry City & Derry City v Shelbourne: Double Match Preview

 

Galway United v Derry City & Derry City v Shelbourne: Double Match Preview

 

Galway United FC v. Derry City FC., League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 13, Eamonn Deacy Park, Friday 3^rd May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

Derry City FC v. Shelbourne FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 14, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Monday 6^th May 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

The Friday-Monday gameweeks are coming thick and fast for Derry City, who picked up their first away win of the season against Waterford last weekend. A first away win since the 27^th of October and their first win in the RSC since May 2021 – it seems like momentum is finally of the Candystripes’ side. Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men find themselves third in the table after going second on Friday, before being leapfrogged by Shamrock Rovers who beat Drogheda United 4-0 in their game in hand on Monday evening. Just a point behind Rovers and three behind Shelbourne, who at a stage found themselves nine points in the clear - a big weekend could catapult City into top spot should other results go their way.

 

Derry were in control down in Waterford. Aside from a few half-chances for the home side, and a Pádraig Almond shot which rattled the crossbar at 2-0, City looked comfortable and confident. Will Patching got his just reward after another standout performance in the midfield, cooly slotting a penalty past Sam Sargent to open the scoring. Pat Hoban showed his prowess too, holding the ball up well and being placed in the right place at the right time to convert Dan Kelly’s parried effort. Speaking of Kelly, the winger came off the bench to replace the injured Ben Doherty in the first half and produced his best performance in a Derry shirt by far. Involved in both goals, it was Kelly’s darting run in behind the defence which led to the 27 year old being felled in the box – a foul which resulted in Patching’s penalty. His direct runs troubled Waterford left-back Robbie McCourt all evening, and it was from this that City found their second. A nutmeg on the half-turn from Kelly caused chaos in the home-side’s box, resulting in Pat Hoban scoring from point-blank range to seal the three points. Mark Connolly was solid as per, whilst Adam O’Reilly and Paul McMullan displayed their fitness levels and energy throughout. It was a solid night of football from Higgins’ men.

 

There’s no good news on the injury front however. Ben Doherty, who only just returned from a knock, was substituted in the first half. Michael Duffy, brought off injured against Shamrock Rovers, was only fit enough for the bench in the last two fixtures and didn’t seem to be entirely comfortable down in the RSC as he was seen feeling his left knee after being introduced in the second half. Sadou Diallo and Cameron Dummigan are reportedly nearing returns though, two men who will be raring to get their seasons kickstarted.

 

Galway United handed Derry City their first home-loss of the season when a late goal on the break saw them claim their first league win in the Brandywell since May 2015. Promoted from the First Division with thirty wins last season, a tally which saw them win the league by a whopping 25 points, Galway came back into the Premier Division after a six year hiatus as something of an unknown quantity. Unable to return to the top flight since being relegated in 2017, manager John Caulfield saw more value in holding on to his First Division winners than splash the cash on a raft of new signings. League of Ireland stalwarts Conor McCormack, Brendan Clarke and Regan Donelon were re-signed, alongside David Hurley and Wassim Aoucharia, to name a few. The latter two contributed to 39 of Galway’s 98 goals last term.

 

The Tribesmen haven’t made a bad start to life back in the Premier Division by any means. They find themselves fifth, right in the middle of the table with 16 points after 12 games. They have a strangely satisfying share of four wins, four draws and four losses from those twelve, scoring seven and conceding seven along the way. Five points off the relegation zone is where they want to be, but a six point gap to Derry in third shows how competitive the league is this year, and that a bit of goalscoring form may get them closer to the European spots. United’s goal record shows two things. Firstly, with seven scored, they’re the second lowest scoring team in the league behind only bottom-placed Dundalk who have six – a surprisingly low tally for a team that bagged nearly 100 last year. A certain Galwegian by the name of Pat Hoban already has two more than that himself. On the flip side, their seven goals conceded is the best defensive record in the league, two clear of Shelbourne and four clear of Shamrock Rovers. For reference, Derry City have scored 22 and conceded 14. Galway will be without manager John Caulfield on Friday, and for two games thereafter, as a result of "disciplinary regulation breaches". Defender Rob Slevin will also miss the game through suspension.

 

The May-day bank holiday fixture against Shelbourne could turn out to be quite a crucial match come the business end of the season. Shels flew out of the blocks, winning six of their first nine games and drawing the other three. In saying that, Damien Duff’s men have won just one of their last six since drawing 0-0 with the Candystripes in Tolka back on Easter Monday. One of those losses came away to Galway United, a result which Ruaidhrí Higgins will have his team well warned about. Aside from that recent slump, it can’t be understated that Shelbourne have lost just twice all season and do deserve to be at the top of the table. Will Jarvis has been the stand-out performer, netting five goals this term on loan from Hull City. Former Finn Harps men Sean Boyd and Mark Coyle have contributed to four and three goals respectively too. It’s defensively where Shelbourne are strongest though. They kept a clean sheet despite an onslaught of Derry City pressure in the first half in Tolka back in early April. The experience of Sean Gannon and Paddy Barrett compliment the energy of Gavin Molloy in the backline, leading Shelbourne to keep the second best defensive record behind the Candystripes last term. Liam Burt, on loan from Shamrock Rovers, has started brightly at Shelbourne and adds quality on the wings. Former Derry City forward Matt Smith also assisted John Martin’s winner against St. Patrick’s Athletic last time out.

 

Derry City haven’t travelled to Eamonn Deacy Park since September 2017, when Rory Patterson got on the scoresheet as City fell to a 2-1 defeat. Galway captain Conor McCormack got sent off as a Derry City player in a scoreless draw against Galway in June 2016, whilst the Candystripes have to look back to August 2015 to find their last win away against the Tribesmen. Mark Timlin bagged a brace that day, whilst Stephen Dooley and Ciaran O’Connor found the others. City did have a six year unbeaten spell in Galway, beginning with a 4-1 win in April 2011 and ending with a 2-0 League Cup defeat in April 2017. 
Despite not beating Shelbourne in the Brandywell since October 2020, City have lost just once to the Reds in their last nine meetings on Foyleside. The aforementioned Conor McCormack started that game in 2020, whilst Ciarán Coll, Cameron McJannet, Ciaron Harkin and Ronan Boyce are the only players from that squad who still find themselves at the Brandywell. Five of the last six league outings between Shelbourne and Derry City ended in draws, threw 0-0s and two 1-1s. Even if there are goals, there will be very little to seperate the sides on the night. 

 

It's another big weekend of football in the Premier Division, with just three points separating the top three and six up for grabs between Friday and Monday, this weekend could be vital in determining the eventual champions. Shelbourne face 10^th placed Dundalk in Oriel Park on Friday, a team who beat Bohemians last week to earn their first win of the season. Shamrock Rovers face Bohs in the Dublin Derby, whilst a win for Drogheda away to St. Pat’s could lift them out of the relegation zone. Two games in four days is always a tough ask, and Derry haven’t won both games in a Friday-Monday match weekend since May last year, when 1-0 and 3-0 wins over Bohemians and Dundalk saw Derry on their way to winning four games in a row. Should the Candystripes win both games this weekend, it’ll be the first time they’ve won four consecutive fixtures since that spell last year. Much to think about…

 Best of luck to Institute on Friday as they take on Ballymena United in the second leg of the promotion/relegation play-off. Danny Lafferty's wonderstrike in the Brandywell has them 1-0 up going into the tie which could see Stute return to the top flight for the first time since the 2019/20 campaign. It'd be great for the City to have two teams in the top flights again!

 

Pól O’Hare – 1 May 2024