Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Derry City v Drogheda United: Match Preview (June 2025)

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 22, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Friday 27th June 2025, kick-off 7.45pm

The race for Europe is hotting up in the Premier Division, as Derry City’s consecutive away wins leaves them just a point off third and two off second. Friday’s clash, a home tie with third-placed Drogheda United, could prove vital come the end of the season. With back-to-back home games on the horizon and transfer movement hotting up, Tiernan Lynch will hope his side continue their winning streak.

Derry City:

Derry City kicked off their Friday-Monday doubleheader with a trip to Shelbourne on Friday, hoping for a positive start to a tricky looking duo of matches. On the hottest day of the year, the Candystripes ramped up the heat and claimed victory in Tolka Park for the first time since March 2023. It was a result which brought about Damien Duff’s departure of the club as, by Sunday afternoon, news broke that Shelbourne’s league winning manager had resigned.

Friday’s game was a relatively flat affair. Throughout the first half, it seemed like both sides were sussing each other out and didn’t want to play too many risky passes. Liam Boyce came closest for the travelling side, dinking one over Conor Kearns which went narrowly wide from a 1v1 situation just a minute after seeing an audacious chip from the centre circle land on the roof of the net. Brian Maher brilliantly denied John Martin from point blank range to keep the scores level going into the break.

Derry started the brightest going into the second half, with Gavin Whyte firing a low effort at Conor Kearns just two minutes in. A long ball forward to Sean Boyd saw Brian Maher race out of his box on the 53rd minute. City’s keeper failed to clear the ball and Sam Todd came to the rescue when he nodded Evan Caffrey’s effort off the line.

The clearance from Todd soon proved to be as good as a goal. City took the ball straight up the other end and, when Carl Winchester slid Michael Duffy through, there was only going to be one outcome. City’s mercurial number seven did a few stepovers to evade his man before firing into the top corner from distance on his left foot. Another wondergoal to add to the Michael Duffy collection, as City took a deserved lead. I’ve watched it back more times than I’d like to admit.

Shels failed to threaten for the remainder of the game and, despite a scare when Brian Maher was left stranded outside his box before Mipo Odubeko was ruled offside, City saw the game out comfortably. It was an immensely satisfying victory for the Candystripes, whose passing was crisp and defending resolute. Duffy’s seventh of the campaign was an absolute peach and worthy of beating the champions on their own patch. All eyes then turned to Monday night.

Said eyes donning Derry City tinted glasses weren’t left disappointed on Monday night either. After failing to win in Dublin all season, City beat St Pat’s 1-0 to register their second victory in the capital in four days. In a weekend where I predicted two draws, Derry picked up six precious points to close the gap to the European places to just one point. With Bohs beating Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, the most optimistic of City fan may glance at those two games in hand and start dreaming.

If you thought Friday wasn’t the prettiest of viewing, you’d have had another thing coming on Monday. For the first 25 minutes or so, Pat’s were energetic and had City penned in. They went out with a point to prove and came close on multiple occasions. Brandon Kavanagh saw a freekick bounce narrowly past the far post in the closest opportunity of the half for the home side. Simon Power and Zack Elbouzedi’s pace on the flanks caused trouble for City, but a lack of a finishing touch saved the Candystripes.

Derry’s goal came on the stroke of the half hour mark. Carl Winchester broke from deep in midfield and played a sweeping pass towards the right flank. Ronan Boyce received it following a dummy from Gavin Whyte and fired an inch perfect ball across the face of goal where Liam Boyce was on hand to nod in his fifth goal for the club. It was a case of The Boyce in the Better Land, and not for the first time this season.

City clung on and dug deep, playing a dirty game when necessary and running their socks off to grind out the win across the next hour of football. It was a statement win against a side who were desperate to escape a bad run of form. The yellow cards were flashed, nine in total, and the tackles were hard. It certainly wasn’t beautiful but, just like against Shelbourne days prior, it was bloody satisfying.

The return of Sadou Diallo from injury was a massive boost to City in the last two games. His calm nature in the centre of the park, combined with a fine range of passing, added that extra bit of quality from deep in the midfield. You wouldn’t have known he hadn’t played since March if you watched the games against Pats and Shels. Without O’Reilly on Friday, and with O’Reilly slotting in at full back off the bench on Monday, Winchester and Diallo quickly formed a partnership in the middle. With Cameron Dummigan training ahead of the game on Monday, and the arrival of Adam Frizzell from Airdrieonians announced on Wednesday, Tiernan Lynch’s midfield is stepping up to another level.

The wide areas have since lost a man, though, as Dom Thomas’ six month spell at the Brandywell has come to an end with the announcement of his signing by Ayr United in the Scottish Championship. Harland & Wolff Welders have announced the permanent signing of Liam Mullan, meanwhile Paul McMullan is rumoured to be of interest to Raith Rovers. City also had an approach for the league’s top scorer Moses Dyer declined by the player after triggering his release clause on Wednesday. Finally, there has been interest in Burton Albion defender Alex Bannon, who spent last season on loan at Airdrieonians, whilst Tiernan Lynch remained tight-lipped on the future of Pat Hoban.

Derry’s back-line was solid across the last two games. Sam Todd and Hayden Cann were pretty much faultless, whilst Mark Connolly’s once trademark switches to the wingers made a comeback at stretched the play. Kevin Holt’s experience also showed in aiding the team across the line. Brian Maher made some big saves on Monday in particular, whilst Michael Duffy showed why he’s arguably the best winger in the league once again. The losses of Ronan Boyce and Mark Connolly to potential injuries, alongside more suspensions, don’t make for good viewing going into Friday however.

Now up to fourth, a point behind Friday’s opponents and two behind Bohemians in second, it seems like City’s season is being reignited. Unbeaten in three, that never-say-die identity is returning to the Candystripes’ arsenal, even when the technical performances haven’t been fantastic. With back-to-back home games fast approaching, Tiernan Lynch will hope his side build on this streak going deeper into the summer. It’s a game approaching must win territory if City want to mount a serious charge.

 

Drogheda United:

Top of the table after twelve games and with European football in the horizon, the summer of 2025 promised to be a memorable one for fans of Drogheda United. The past few weeks, however, have seen those promises broken as UEFA kicked the Louth side out of the UEFA Conference League.

Drogheda United is part of the Trivela Group, who also own Trivela Togo, Walsall Town and Silkeborg IF. The latter, Silkeborg, recently beat Randers in the Danish European play-offs, booking their spot in the Conference League. To cut a long story short, and despite the Red Bull clubs and City Group finding loopholes, UEFA and the Court for Arbitration of Sport upheld the rule that two clubs with the same owner couldn’t compete in European competition. It’s the first time in history that that rule has seen a team expelled, and it’s Drogheda United, lower ranked than their Danish counterparts, who have been dealt the unlucky blow.

It's not only devastating for Drogheda’s players, staff and fans, but the club turned full-time this season – no doubt looking at the cash injection they’d receive from their European qualification. No other Irish side applied for a UEFA Licence to take their spot, so Shamrock Rovers have been bumped into Round Two. Kevin Doherty certainly has a task on his hands to keep his disappointed squad motivated on domestic action for the remainder of the season.

Top of the pile until May, the Cup winners had a flying start to the league campaign. Losing just once in their first eleven games, looking good value to run the likes of Shamrock Rovers tight at the top of the table. Since beating Derry City 3-1 in the Brandywell in early April, they’ve won just three of the following fourteen games. Drawing eight of those isn’t bad going, and kept Drogheda in and around the top three, but those dropped points meant that Shamrock Rovers could open a ten point gap over Drogs going into this gameweek. Kevin Doherty will now hope that the lack of European fixture congestion can aid his side in staying in the upper reaches of the table going into the business end of the campaign, but his name will be the first on the lips of many a Shelbourne fan on their list when discussing Damien Duff replacements.

Twenty year old forward Warren Davis has been Drogheda United’s talisman this year, stepping up following the departure of Frantz Pierrot and injuries to Douglas James-Taylor. A graduate of Drogheda’s academy, Davis has scored seven and assisted twice in twenty three games this term. That form has attracted interest from Italian and English clubs, as United slap a €100,000 price tag on his head. A versatile forward, he’s hot property at the moment.

Key to Drogheda’s form in the early part of the season is their defence. Their 22 goals conceded is the joint second best in the league, whilst 6’7” centre back Conor Keeley has come into his own after leaving St. Pat’s. His lowest match rating on SofaScore this year is 7.0, making him one of the league’s most consistent central defenders. With five goals, two of which came in the aforementioned 3-1 win over Derry, he knows where the net is too.

Goalkeeper Luke Dennison has kept ten clean sheets in 22 matches, putting him top of the clean sheets pile for the league. Shane Farrell is another player who goes under the radar in the centre of the park. The former Shelbourne man is a tireless worker in midfield and with four assists, has provided more goals for his teammates than anyone else in the side. He scored a peach of a free-kick in Cork on Monday too. Darragh Markey has already tripled his goal tally from last year, scoring three, as Drogheda’s main attacking midfielder. With Douglas James-Taylor returning to fitness, and scoring last week, coupled with Thomas Oluwa as an option off the bench, Drogheda have quality throughout their ranks.

With just one win from their last five, Kevin Doherty will hope his Drogheda side have the character to put the European-related frustration into their performances and maintain their fight for Europe in the second half of the season. With a comfortable win in the Brandywell already under the belt, they’ll be aiming to at least avoid defeat in the last game before the transfer window opens. For Doherty, he may be on a European hotseat with Shelbourne in July if the bookies are to be trusted.

Round-up:

The Candystripes are winless in the last four competitive games against Drogheda United, most recently drawing in May after losing all three of the previous encounters between the two. Those losses were humiliating for City; a capitulation in the Brandywell, a cup final defeat and a sucker punch which all but cost Derry their title hopes last year. The performance before Liam Boyce’s red card in the Brandywell back in April was one of City’s best of the season, which could bring some confidence on Friday. With momentum returning to the Candystripes, they would leapfrog their opponents with victory in the Brandywell on Friday and could go into second, providing Bohemians lose to Sligo Rovers.

With just one defeat in their last eight matches, Drogheda United will certainly be a tough opponent. They’ll make Derry City work to break them down. Winning last Friday after holding onto an early lead, before dropping points on Monday by conceding a 95th minute equaliser away to Cork City, United will be hungry to get another win over Derry City and re-open their buffer in the European places. With 24 goals in the last seven games between City and United, going back to the opening day of the 2024 season, we’re almost certainly guaranteed goals on Friday. There’s a big game feel about this one and it could be vital to determining the European places come November.

Pól O’Hare – 24th June 2025

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Double Match Preview: Shelbourne & St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City (June 2025)

Shelbourne FC v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 20, Tolka Park, Friday 20th June 2024, kick-off 7.45pm

St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 21, Richmond Park, Monday 23rd June 2025, kick-off 7.45pm

Derry City saw their four game winless streak continue following last Friday’s 1-1 draw with Galway United and it doesn’t get any easier for the Candystripes, who travel to Shelbourne and St Pat’s over the weekend. Failing to pick up a victory in five weeks, it’ll need to be two impressive performances from Tiernan Lynch’s side to get the 2025 campaign back on track.

Derry City:

Coming back from the mid-season break, City knew that three points at home to Galway United would’ve kept them right in the European race. With Galway sat just three points behind City, defeat could have been catastrophic – and a result which could’ve seen the Candystripes drop as low as eighth going into the new week. What panned out was something in the middle.

In a sunny Brandywell after a week of rain, the home side started the brighter. Michael Duffy fired a free kick into the hands of Evan Watts with just a minute on the clock, before seeing his flicked effort go tantalisingly wide just four minutes later after Sam Todd’s cross in.

For the second time in as many games, City were soon undone by an early penalty. With just eight and a half minutes gone, Kevin Holt dragged Moses Dyer to the ground in the box. David Hurley converted calmly to open the scoring for the travelling side. Less than ten minutes later though, the home side were level again. Michael Duffy fired a low ball into the box which, after some scrappy play in the middle, saw a Galway clearance rebound off Kevin Holt and nestle in the corner. A second goal in red and white for the Scotsman, who went from zero to hero.

Derry had the best of the opportunities throughout the remainder of the half. Michael Duffy looked lively and troubled Jeannot Esua at right back for the visitors. He curled one narrowly wide, as did Danny Mullen on the 36 minute mark. The momentum was entirely with the home team as the game approached half time, before City came close once again when Sam Todd headed just over the crossbar on the stroke of half time.

After an entertaining first half, the second half certainly did not live up to expectations. Galway United had recognised that City’s out-ball was a switch to the winger on the far side and made a tactical switch to keep their fullbacks tighter to Derry’s wide men. That was effective and, despite the introductions of Dom Thomas and Paul McMullan, a winner wouldn’t come for City. United seemed happy to set up for a draw and failed to threaten Brian Maher, while Derry couldn’t feed Danny Mullen or Liam Boyce during the second phase. A late penalty claim for the away side was waved away, before the referee put an end to a flat 50 minutes of football.

The game against Galway was one that City should probably have had wrapped up in the first half, but with the lack of a clinical touch in the box meaning the game was level at the break, United were prepared to sit back and make City do all the work. Derry City had 68% possession on Friday night but had just three shots in the second half compared to sixteen in the first. In another card-heavy encounter, the home side couldn’t break down Galway’s dogged defensive unit and went home frustrated. With just two points from the last four games, and now 14 points off the summit, it seems that City’s brief title ambitions are slipping ever further.

Tiernan Lynch has made no secret of the fact that there will be a lot of movement in the squad in the upcoming transfer window. The likes of Dom Thomas and Pat Hoban are linked with respective moves to Scotland and Coleraine, Linfield or Bohemians in the case of Hoban. Friday showed that City are missing a creative spark coming from midfield. Gavin Whyte has been that man in the past this season but was replaced by Paul McMullan after 64 minutes. Reinforcements across the pitch could be welcomed to the Brandywell in coming weeks, with a right-back to cover for Ronan Boyce reportedly high on the wish-list.

Sadou Diallo came back to make his first appearance in three months after breaking his arm away to Sligo Rovers, whilst Hayden Cann’s clipped passes into the path of the wingers proving fruitful in terms of ventures into the box in the first half for City. Sam Todd performed well despite being played out of position following the injury to Ben Doherty, but the lack of an out-and-out attacking left back meant that the home side lost a key attacking outlet.

Facing the champions and one of the pre-season favourites for the title on Friday and Monday, City will need two top-drawer displays to avoid being cut-off by the chasing European pack. We can only hope for two positives results in north Dublin, before hosting back-to-back home matches in the two games after this weekend. Still sixth and just three points off third with two games in hand on the teams facing European action, all hope isn’t lost at the Brandywell just yet.

Shelbourne:

With the mid-season break behind us, and Damien Duff’s players back from a having a few ‘gargles’, the champions host Derry City for the third time in 2025. After winning their first title in 18 years in the Brandywell last November, Shelbourne’s defence of the title hasn’t been all plain sailing. With nine draws from their opening twenty-one games, the Reds have struggled for a consistent period of domination. They’ve only achieved back-to-back wins once this term, and that came in the first two games of the season.

Currently sitting in 5th, just a points off the top three but twelve behind leaders Shamrock Rovers, Shels will be hoping for a big second half of the season to mount a sustained title charge. Their tally of seven wins from 21 games is the second lowest outside of the relegation zone, but they have conceded the fourth least number of goals this term. With just five losses, less only than Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United, that hard-to-beat nature of the Shels team across the past two campaigns is still alive within the squad.

The signing of Ireland U21 forward Mipo Odubeko to lead the line seemed to be a shrewd acquisition, and he has impressed at times throughout the first half of the season. His goal tally of four is Shelbourne’s joint highest in league action, tying Odubeko with John Martin who scored three of his four in a recent victory of Sligo Rovers. With nine of the ten teams in the Premier Division scoring between 21 and 26 goals this term, finding form in front of goal will be key for Shelbourne, or any side for that matter, in breaking away from the pack.

Midfielders Evan Caffrey and Kerr McInroy have been Shelbourne’s two standout players in 2025. Caffrey has assisted five and scored three to see him with eight direct goal involvements this term, highlighting him as Shelbourne’s most efficient attacking outlet. McInroy has slotted seamlessly into Duff’s midfield after a stint at Kilmarnock and has already been rewarded with a new contract despite joining the club just five months ago.

Centre back Paddy Barrett was instrumental to their title win last year, and recently returned to the side after missing two months through injury. Defensive partner Sam Bone will look for an improved performance after being at fault for Liam Boyce’s goal in this fixture in the Brandywell in May, whilst Kameron Ledwidge has started all 21 of Shelbourne’s games this term. Tyreke Wilson, Sean Gannon and Liverpool loanee James Norris give width to the defence. Conor Kearns is still one of the league’s best goalkeepers, despite keeping just four clean sheets this year.

With a tasty Champions League qualifier against Linfield and FAI Cup football looming, Shelbourne will want to pick up as many points as possible before the games come thick and fast in the next couple of weeks. Already beating Derry City in Tolka this year, Duff’s side will be out to make it two from three and avoid a repeat of their 2-0 defeat in the Brandywell six weeks ago. Monday’s 1-0 victory away to rivals St Pat’s will certainly boost the confidence.

St. Patrick’s Athletic:

Speaking of St Pat’s, I had Stephen Kenny’s as my title favourites before the season began. As we’ve now breached the twenty game mark for the league campaign, the Inchicore side haven’t quite lived up to expectations. It’s been an inconsistent year for Stephen Kenny’s men. A promising start gave way to just three wins from the last ten games, although Pat’s’ eight wins so far is behind only Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians (twelve and eleven) in terms of the most wins in the Premier Division.

St. Pat’s have made Richmond Park something of a fortress this year, only losing their first game at home earlier this week and sitting second in the table for home form. 20 of their 30 points have come in Inchicore, as have 18 of their 26 goals. It’s been on the road where Pat’s have been let down this year, sitting 8th in the away form table after losing six of their ten away games in 2025.

St. Patrick’s Athletic are far from out of the title race and, if they take their home form on the road, they’ll certainly be in the mix in the business end of the season. Currently a point off the European spaces and twelve behind first, Pat’s certainly have the quality in their squad to mount a charge. Star strikers Aidan Keena and Mason Melia have six apiece in the league, forming one of the deadliest forward-lines in the country. Much has been said about Melia’s upcoming move to Spurs, which was the first League of Ireland export to cost more than €1m, and he’s looking like better value with every passing match. Keena is a complete and ruthless forward, with a range of finishing and neat first touch.

Another man with a neat first touch is stalwart Chris Forrester. One of the league’s most talented players of his generation, the 32 year old has made nearly 400 appearances for Pat’s, as well as 120 for Peterborough United. He has five direct goal involvements this term. Former Derry City midfielder Brandon Kavanagh had the most assists in the Premier Division in 2024, and scored the winner against City back October. Kian Leavy, Jamie Lennon and Barry Baggley add to one of the league’s most impressive midfields, and that isn’t including the injured Romal Palmer.

Zach Elbouzedi and Jake Mulraney bring the quality on the wing, two players who thrive and cutting inside on their stronger foot. Mulraney’s left foot has brought some brilliant free kicks in the past couple of years too. Al-Amin Kazeem, Axel Sjoberg, Ryan McLaughlin and Anto Breslin give width as wingbacks – a key part of Stephen Kenny’s 4-3-3. Centre backs Joe Redmond, Sean Hoare, Luke Turner and Tom Grivosti will be looking for a tenth clean sheet of the season. Goalkeeper Joey Anang was recently called into the Ghana senior squad for game against Nigeria and Trinidad & Tobago – his nine clean sheets are joint with Drogheda’s Luke Dennison at the top of the charts for the Premier Division.

St Pats will be glad to host Derry City rather than head to the Brandywell again. The Saints have won three of the last four when they’ve hosted City, including earlier this year, but haven’t won in league action in the Brandywell since October 2019. Pat’s’ only victory in Derry in the last twelve meetings on Foyleside came via a penalty shootout win in the FAI Cup in 2023, whilst they’ve lost eight of those last dozen.

Round-up:

It seems like igniting a run of form this weekend will be a battle for Derry City, who haven’t found much joy in either Tolka or Richmond Park in recent times. The Candystripes have won just twice in their last ten combined visits to both north Dublin stadiums, winless since March 2023 in Tolka and in the last two in Inchicore.

Much like City, Shelbourne and St Pat’s also find themselves in inconsistent patches of form. Both Shels and Pats have won three of their last twelve league games. Despite failing to win in their last four, City have won six of their last twelve. The willingness of all three sides to pick up points and stay competitive in the race for the title and Europe should give for entertaining football, in theory at least.

Tolka Park was something of a haven for Shelbourne last year, losing just three home games all season. They have already matched that tally in 2025 and sit sixth in the table for home form. St Pat’s, on the other hand, know that they’re at their strongest in Richmond Park. They’ve lost just once at home this year, with five wins and five draws from their eleven home games. Pat’s had the best home record in 2024 too, picking up 35 points in their own backyard.

Derry City’s placing of 7th in the away form table in 2025, with just three wins on the road, makes for even more worrying viewing when you factor in that we’ve already lost on the road to Shelbourne and Pat’s this year – at an aggregate score of 5-1. If ever there was a time to go out and prove a point, this would be it. Four points from Friday and Monday would mark an excellent return given the opposition, in my opinion at least. We’re also winless wearing that new green away kit, so I’m hoping those navy blue kits will be out of the wash to give us any hope of a couple of wins.

Pól O’Hare – 18th June 2025

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Derry City v Galway United: Match Preview (June 2025)

 

Derry City FC v. Galway United FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 19, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Friday 13th June 2025, kick-off 7.45pm

Slipping to sixth in the Premier Division after defeat away to Bohemians two weeks ago, Derry City welcome seventh placed Galway United to the Brandywell on Friday. Just three points off the European places, victory for City could fire them back into the mix. Defeat, however, would see Galway leapfrog Derry and demote the Candystripes to seventh place.

Derry City:

The 1-0 loss to Bohemians at the end of May was one of those matches were simply nothing went right for City. After just 22 seconds, referee Rob Hennessy had given Bohemians a penalty when Mark Connolly was adjudged to have handballed it in the box. It was a soft call at best; the ball was fired at pace into the mid-riff of Connolly who tried to keep his arms down. Even the usually home-club-biased Bohemians commentators said it wasn’t a pen. Dayle Rooney fired the resulting spot-kick into the top corner and gave the Candystripes a mountain to climb with just two minutes played.

With the early advantage, Bohemians were on top throughout the first half. They were winning all the second balls and pressed Derry with energy. The away side couldn’t settle on the ball, and it showed in the number of times that possession was lost. Danny Mullen was isolated up top and the longballs played up to him were dealt with comfortably by Bohemians’ centre backs. Despite Shane Ferguson being hooked for Gavin Whyte after just 25 minutes to usher in a more attacking formation, the first 45 were a tough watch for the travelling City faithful.

Half-time saw three changes for Tiernan Lynch’s side as City tried to get something from the game. Kevin Holt, Michael Duffy and Hayden Cann were replaced by Ronan Boyce, Dom Thomas and Ben Doherty as the Candystripes moulded their formation to be more direct. The extra attacking outlets did give City more life, particularly down the flanks. The introduction of Ronan Boyce in particular gave City a right-footed right-back for the first time since his injury three weeks ago.

Just fifteen minutes later and City’s half-time plans went up in smoke. Ben Doherty, who has had a stop-start 2025 through foot and hamstring injuries, went down injured. He was replaced by Robbie Benson, forcing Ronan Boyce to play as the left-sided wing back and Adam O’Reilly as his counterpart on the right. To be fair to O’Reilly, whose usual game of breaking up the play in the middle was hampered by a yellow card, his overlapping runs from right-back gave City their best chances of the second half.

O’Reilly played balls in for Danny Mullen which were headed and volleyed narrowly over. His best foray saw him slide a ball across the face of goal on the 70th minute. Robbie Benson came painfully close to stabbing it in and saw his penalty claims waved away despite being bundled over within the six yard box by the covering defender. That wasn’t the first big penalty shout for Derry either – Danny Mullen was pushed to the ground by Dawson Devoy on the 53rd minute in direct view of the referee, who didn’t as much as shrug to acknowledge the claim. Another night when the man in the middle took centre stage for the wrong reasons.

Despite feeling hard-done-by by the officials, City never really looked like winning the game. Bohemians set up well, pressing Derry high and praying on loose balls. Their defensive structure was solid and frustrated a Derry City side who struggled to carve them open. On another night, it could’ve been a goal-fest for the home team, who hit an exposed City on the counter on numerous occasions across the second half. James Clarke and Colm Whelan came within inches of finding goals of their own. Robbie Benson’s dismissal just twenty minutes after coming on summarised a difficult night for the Candystripes, who were on the wrong side of a card-happy referee but failed to create anything of real quality throughout.

As a result of his red card, Robbie Benson will miss the game against Galway United. Ben Doherty’s recent set-back may see him miss more gametime, although Tiernan Lynch hinted at the returns of Cameron Dummigan and Sadou Diallo in the coming weeks. Michael Duffy will hope to rekindle his early-season form, as the Candystripes will aim for more quality in forward areas.

With a two week break now under their belt, Derry City will be out for victory following back-to-back defeats in the last two games of May. Conceding at the death against Rovers, before going one down at the very start away to Bohs, Derry’s last two games highlighted the fine margins in this league. That translates to the league table too. Starting the Bohs game in third, City finished it in sixth. Still only three points off the European spots, all hope is not yet lost. 
Rumours have emerged linking Dom Thomas with a return to Scotland as clubs in the Premiership and Championship have shown interest in the winger. The 29 year old has scored once and registered three assists since signing from Queens Park in January, but has failed to nail down a starting berth. With a contract running until the end of the 2026 campaign, City would demand a seemingly healthy fee for the former Spiders captain. 
As transfer speculation mounts around the club; fresh legs and a lack of European football could get our distant title hopes back on track. A win against Galway could prove vital ain doing so.

Galway United:

Currently sitting one place and three points below Derry City in the Premier Division table, Galway United’s 2025 season has been a mixed bag. A very satisfying mixed bag when you look at the standings though. From eighteen games, they’ve won six, drawn six and lost six. If that ratio wasn’t good enough for those of us with OCD tendencies, they’ve scored as many as they’ve conceded too – twenty one.

United’s early season form gave their faithful hope of a prosperous campaign. Galway went unbeaten in their first seven games, albeit winning just three of those. Since their first loss of the season in early April, a 1-0 home defeat to Shamrock Rovers, United’s season has been marred by inconsistency. They’ve won just three more times since that early unbeaten streak and went on a run of four losses in a row in the first weeks of May. A win over Cork City and draw away to Shamrock Rovers in their previous two before the mid-season break hint that their fortunes may be back on the up.

The signing of New Zealand international striker Moses Dyer has been central to Galway’s fortunes in 2025. His nine league goals make him the league’s top scorer at the halfway point – clearing the next closest (Warren Davis and Owen Elding) by two. He found his first in the maroon of Galway away to Derry City in March, before scoring three braces against Bohemians, Shelbourne and Drogheda United. He’s a man who knows where the back of the net is and has showcased his ability to score a range of goals. He’ll be key to anything United do this year.

Patrick Hickey is another player who is one of Galway’s top performers. One of the most unique players in the league in terms of profile, the 6 foot 6 American usually operates in the midfield, but can lead the line in attack or use his height and stature to solidify the defence. He has started all eighteen of Galway’s game this year, chipping in with four goals and an assist – already matching his goal tally of last season.

Galway United have an experienced, hard-working squad. With the likes of former Ireland international Greg Cunningham featuring in a defence alongside once Derry City target Rob Slevin, Bohs loanee Cian Byrne and flying fullback Jeannot Esua, they’re hard to break down and rapid on the counter.

Wales U21 goalie Evan Watts has rotated with veteran Brendan Clarke between the sticks, whilst John Caulfield brought quality off the bench against Shamrock Rovers last time out in the form of Bobby Burns, Conor McCormack, Killian Brouder and Stephen Walsh. If they manage to turn some of those draws and losses into victories in the second half of the season, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Galway finish the season in the mix for Europe. They’ll want to come back from the mid-season break with a first win of the season against Derry City.

Round-up:

It’s hard to predict which way a Derry v Galway game will go. The two counties faced each other in an entertaining draw in the Senior Championship in Celtic Park two weeks ago, and you get the feeling that a high-scoring draw could transcend football and Gaelic in the Brandywell on Friday. Of the last ten meetings between City and United in all competitions, Derry have won three, Galway four and the other three have been stalemates.

The Candystripes are unbeaten against Galway in 2025, drawing 1-1 in March and digging deep to win 3-2 in the torrential rain at Eamonn Deacy Park on Good Friday in April. That win in April was Derry’s first victory in Galway since August 2015. With seven goals scored by seven different scorers in this meeting already this year, we could be in for another goal-filled occasion.

As both sides aim to bounce back into the top half of the table, and use their competitors’ European escapades to their advantage, this is a match which could prove crucial in deciding the Euro spots for 2026. I don’t know why, but Galway strike me as a team which could go far in the cup this year too. Recent results aside, you can’t beat summer football with a big stick, so ye can’t.

Pól O’Hare – 10th June 2025

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Derry City FC v Bohemian FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 25, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Friday 25 th July 2025, kick-off...