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
Thanks again for another great read .....
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