St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City: Match Preview (25th October 2024)

St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City: Match Preview (25^th October 2024)

 

St Patrick’s Athletic FC v. Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 35, Richmond Park, Friday 25^th October 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

 

After breaking a five game winless run in league action with a 2-0 victory away to Dundalk last Friday, Derry City travel to the form team in the division needing a win to take the Premier Division title down to the last day. Last week’s win condemned Dundalk to the First Division, whilst St. Pat’s’ win over Galway United was their seventh consecutive league win. Victory on Friday for the Candystripes would give them the opportunity to win the league in the Brandywell on the 1^st of November.

Last time out – Dundalk 0-2 Derry City:

Derry City, who had just one league win in the previous ten matches, travelled to Dundalk last Friday with the home side needing a win to stay afloat in the Premier Division for another week. There wasn’t the sense of quiet confidence that you might expect from a title chasing side travelling to a relegation-doomed opponent that you might have expected leading into the game. Dundalk had drawn to Galway United a week prior and were expected to fight with life and limb to keep their Premier Division status alive for another week. The opening exchanges weren’t much to write home about. After a relatively quiet first ten minutes, the twelfth minute saw Dundalk’s Jamie Gullan shoot straight at Brian Maher in the first attempt in anger of the game. Four minutes later and the away side had taken the lead. Michael Duffy’s floated, outswinging corner was met by the head of Danny Mullen who powered the ball towards Collie Whelan. Whether aware of it or not, the ball struck the former UCD man’s back before deflecting into the top corner. Making his first start since signing 22 months ago, Whelan had his first goal of the season, and what a time it had come at. 1-0 Derry with just over a quarter of an hour gone. The home side came closest again the first half just past the 34 minute mark. Some excellent control in the middle of the park by Aodh Dervin saw the midfielder play an outside-of-the-boot pass through to Jamie Gullan. The Scottish striker was bearing down on Brian Maher with a golden opportunity to level the tie, but Dundalk’s top goalscorer drove the ball centimetres past the far post and wide. A real let of for Derry, who were undone by a moment of real quality by Aodh Dervin.

The rest of the first half petered out without much incident but, within a minute of the restart, Dundalk had another fine chance to go level. Sadou Diallo saw his pocket picked deep inside City territory and the ball made its way out to Daryl Horgan on the right flank. The former Ireland international delivered a perfectly weighted ball onto the head of Jad Hakiki, who nodded straight at Maher – either side of City’s keeper and that was a certain goal. A bright start by the Lilywhites, who cleared an Adam O’Reilly header off the line just a minute later. It was 70 minutes in before City found another good opportunity. Michael Duffy, who had another impressive performance for Derry, found time and space in the box after a well worked corner routine. The 30 year old’s curling effort was just inches wide of Ross Munro’s left hand post. Duffy and McMullan linked well again four minutes later when Duffy was sent in behind the Dundalk defence by a Will Patching ball from deep. The winger squared the ball into the centre of the box to be met by Paul McMullan who was approaching the penalty spot. Twelve yards out, the Scotsman fired straight at the Dundalk keeper. Another massive opportunity which went begging for McMullan – compounding with recent misses against Bohemians and Sligo Rovers to keep the 28 year old awake at night. Duffy took centre stage again on the 75 minute mark when he slalomed into the box, only to be felled by Robbie Benson. There were no doubts over the validity of the penalty, which was duly and cooly dispatched in typical fashion by Will Patching. Carrying a niggling groin injury, Patching marked his 26^th birthday with a calm finish into the bottom corner – a trademark penalty by the former Manchester City and Dundalk man to seal his former side’s fate and wrap up all three points for City.
At this point, City were top of the league. Within minutes though, both Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers had scored winners past the 80^th minute mark to keeping the former top and maintain the pressure of the latter. Those three points for City render Friday’s game against Pat’s vital in their title charge.

Derry City:

With Pat Hoban, Ben Doherty, Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McEleney, Ciarán Coll and Daniel Kelly all out injured, Ruaidhrí Higgins handed a first start in two years to Collie Whelan and a first start in eleven to Shane McEleney. Whelan’s hard work in returning from back-to-back ACL injuries was rewarded with his early goal, whilst Shane McEleney’s experience added to that of his defensive counterparts in keeping a clean sheet and getting the win in the bag. The lack of Patrick McEleney and Ciarán Coll in the squad last Friday was a concern – both players are senior players whose experience would’ve been vital in the final days of the campaign had they not picked up season-ending injuries. The apparent injury to Mark Connolly in the second half will only add to Higgins’ injury woes, at a time when you need as big a squad as possible. Will Patching isn’t fully fit either but will be playing through the pain barrier for the next few games. Centre back Duncan Idehen saw his first minutes in red and white after joining in the summer, the 22 year old will likely feature more next term as he’s signed until the end of 2025.

Andre Wisdom filled in at left-back against Dundalk, whilst Shane McEleney featured at left centre half – two naturally right footed players who will hope St. Patrick’s’ wingers have an off day on Friday. Michael Duffy was central to most of Derry’s attacking threat last week, whilst Danny Mullen linked up well and Sadou Diallo had yet another good performance in midfield – the 25 year old has been impressive in the past few games after a tough start to the campaign.

There are no two ways about it, Friday night’s game against St Pat’s is as tough as they come and the biggest of Ruaidhrí Higgins tenure. Two days after his 40^th birthday, a win for Higgins side will take the league title down to the last day. That means that victory of Shelbourne would guarantee a first title since 1997. On the other hand, defeat or even a draw against Pat’s would put Derry City out of the title race if Shelbourne beat Drogheda United in Tolka. Drogheda are a hard team to play against, but with Dundalk’s relegation and Bohemians’ safety both confirmed, the Louth side have nothing to play for until the play-offs and cup final. They won’t want to risk players so, with no disrespect to Kevin Doherty’s men, Shelbourne will likely win. Shamrock Rovers also travel to Dundalk who, of course, are already dead and buried. They’ll be playing only for pride and Rovers currently sit level on points with Derry. St. Pat’s are just two points behind Derry and would leapfrog the Candystripes into a European spot with victory in Inchicore. They haven’t lost in any competition since falling to Istanbul Basaksehir in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League, but have lost all four of their previous meetings with Derry in league and cup action this year with an aggregate loss of 9-2. City’s last away game in Dublin was the cup semi-final against Bohemians, another huge game. The crowd was bouncing and the performance was on point, we’ll hope for more of the same on Friday. Inchicore is probably the very last place you’d want to go to when needing a win. It’s these games that show what champions elect are made of though. St Pat's and Cork City are the only two sides in all competitions who Derry have a 100% winning record against in 2024, so we do know how to beat them. All is on the line here in City’s biggest league game since 2006. To compound any Derry City anxiety, Friday’s referee is Rob Hennessy. Derry City have won just one of the last 27 games he’s been in charge of. Anyone else nervous?

 

St Patrick’s Athletic:

Following a poor start to the season which saw manager Jon Daly sacked after picking up just five wins from the first fifteen, St Pat’s pulled off arguably the biggest League of Ireland managerial coup of the century and brought in Stephen Kenny, most recently manager of the Irish national team. The Saints’ change in fortunes wasn’t immediate, winning just one of the former Derry City and Dundalk manager’s first six fixtures. Once they got Europe out of the way, which included wins over Vaduz and Sabah before drawing then losing to Istanbul Basaksehir in the Conference League play-offs, Pats’ finally clicked. That loss in Turkey was St Pat’s most recent loss in all competitions, dating back to August. Seven league wins on the bounce for Kenny’s men since, the most of any side this season and just two away from equalling the club record. In short, Pat’s away is the absolute last place you want to go when you need a win to stay in the title race.

The Inchicore side sit fourth in the table, two points behind Derry City and four behind Shelbourne. There was a time this season when Pat’s looked unlikely to qualify for Europe, let alone having the possibility of taking the league title down to the very last game. They’ve netted 20 goals and conceded 6 since that loss in Istanbul and you have to go back to July to find their last league loss. Derry City’s 3-0 FAI Cup win means they are the only Irish team to have beaten St. Pat’s since 4^th July. In the space of ten days in late September, Pat’s beat Waterford 3-0 at home, inflicted Shamrock Rovers’ biggest domestic home defeat in years by beating them 3-0 in Tallaght before going to beat Shelbourne 3-2 in Tolka Park on the last day of the month. They’re certainly a force to be reckoned with.

There hasn’t really been a single standout performer for St Pat’s in 2024. Brandon Kavanagh, a winter signing from Derry City, has 12 assists and 5 league goals – putting him top of the Premier Division assist table. Wideman Jake Mulraney, who has been in fine form under Stephen Kenny, is their top scorer with 7 in the league. One goal behind him is teenage sensation Mason Melia – a striker with a €1m price tag who only turned 17 a month ago. Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are reportedly interested, as is probably every other club who can afford him. I can’t think of a better teenage prospect in the LOI in a long time. Aidan Keena, winner of the 2022 golden boot when at Sligo Rovers, has scored four in his last five since signing from Cheltenham Town to replace the outgoing Ruairí Keating. Zach Elbouzedi was another astute signing – he signed from AIK Stockholm and has contributed to five goals in his last seven outings. Recent injures to himself and Mulraney will limit Pats’ quality on the wings, but Jason McClelland and Alex Nolan aren’t bad deputies.

Kian Leavy, Jamie Lennon and Chris Forrester have been instrumental in the engine room this campaign, whilst Romal Palmer has showed his class and pedigree since joining on-loan from Göztepe. Joe Redmond is arguably the best centre back in the league at the minute and is partnered by Tom Grivosti – scorer of a wondergoal in the Brandywell a couple of years back. Axel Sjoberg struggled against Michael Duffy earlier in the season but has been vital going forward from right back, meanwhile Joseph Anang became first choice goalkeeper instantly when he rejoined the club from West Ham United.

Pat’s will fancy their chances for a European berth now at the very least, even if they don’t beat Derry on Friday. They’re unbeaten at home in all competitions since June but have lost to Derry five of the past ten times in Richmond Park, winning four and drawing one of the other five. That also includes a 4-0 win for Derry and a 4-1 win for Pats. In Inchicore at least, there hasn’t been too much to separate the sides recently. This one seems to have the makings of an absolute classic. Kenny was Derry’s manager when we lost the league on the final day of the season in both 2005 and 2006 - could do with him letting us get the three points on Friday.

Round-up:

This is one of those games that gets people who have no interest in football asking what the score is. City haven’t lost in Dublin since May, Pat’s haven’t lost at home since June. It’s the closest Derry City have been to a league title in eighteen years, and a win on Friday would mean that, even if Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers also win, Derry will have the chance to lift the title with a win on the final day. Even a draw won’t be enough if Shelbourne win – we’d mathematically be out of the race and would likely have to watch them lift it in the Brandywell next Friday. I don’t even want to think about it to be honest. Both sides will fancy their chances in Richmond Park, the momentum is with Pats thanks to their winning streak, but City’s win in Dundalk will give the players confidence. This could go down in Derry City history forever - get the candles lit, we may need all the help we can get.

Pól O’Hare -  23 October 2024