FAI Cup Preview: Derry City -v- Malahide United
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DERRY CITY
Derry will be determined to get back to winning ways after three consecutive defeats in the league when they face Malahide United in the FAI Cup Third Round this Friday (kick-off 7:45pm).
The Candystripes haven’t been playing poorly but have been unfortunate and now their only chance of European football next season will be a cup win or final appearance. Appropriately Derry manager, Peter Hutton has labelled the game against Malahide, “the biggest game of our season so far.”
The Derry manager has also expressed his unhappiness of the attitude and performance of the players last week. Speaking to Radio Foyle, the Derry manager had this to say: "There will be changes."
"I think going into the Drogheda game we had one eye on the Malahide match but I still felt that the team we put out was more than capable of getting a result.
"Probably with so many changes, we were a little disjointed and didn't have the fluency of previous games.
"But the attitude wasn't right in the Drogheda game and if it's in a similar vein on Friday night, we will get punished by Malahide."
Hutton is particularly calling on the younger members of the Derry side to show their worth:
"Sometimes younger players get a few plaudits in the media and they think 'oh....I'm now a senior player and I've made it'.
"Far from it. When you get a run of games that's when the hard work starts.
"You have to apply yourself if you want to make a career in the game. They haven't done anything. Haven't won any trophies."
And the Derry manager is fully aware of Malahide’s quality in parts of the field and will be taking nothing for granted.
"They have signed striker Michael Scott from UCD and Danny Mahon played with Bohemians previously and their young left winger Cillian Timmins is rated the best player in the Leinster League.
"Kevin Cronin has played in the League of Ireland as well and they also have Niall McArdle who spent four years at Sunderland."
The Derry side will be without Danny Ventre, who has a tear in the back of his knee and Cliff Byrne, who disrupted his medial ligament with the pair set to be out for at least the next few weeks. Dean Jarvis is out with a foot injury whilst Ryan McBride is doubtful. Shaun Kelly is cup tied.
MALAHIDE UNITED
Managed by former UCD and S Pats boss, Pete Mahon, Malahide will have plenty of experience on the touchline when they travel north to the Brandywell to take on Derry City on Friday night.
Malahide qualified for the competition by reaching the fourth round of the FAI Intermediate Cup. A 2-0 win over Cork side Leeds got them there but they came unstuck against another club from the rebel County, losing 3-0 to Avondale United on 30 November 2013. Avondale went on to win the Intermediate Cup in 2013/14, their third successive lifting of that trophy, and are themselves involved this weekend as they take on Tipperary side St Michael's AFC on Sunday afternoon.
Malahide had better luck in the First Round of the FAI Senior Cup when they went through after beating Tolka Rovers 2-1 at Gannon Park. They followed that up with a Second Round win over yet another Cork team, beating Roy Keane's alma mater Mayfield United 3-1 on the 1st of June this year.
Malahide United come into this game off the back of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of St Pats CY in their Leinster Senior League opener, Noel McGinnity scoring late on for Malahide.
At the time of writing, no team news was available for Malahide United
Referee: Robert Rogers
MATCH STATS
Derry have won six out of their 13 home games this season in all competitions.
Malahide’s first and only game of this season so far was a 5-1 defeat to Crumlin United.
Derry have netted a total of 23 goals this season so far in all competitions.
BETTING
Derry City 1/12; Draw 15/2; Malahide United 25/1
PREDICTION
I feel Derry will simply be far too strong for Malahide. I am going for a 5-0 Derry win.
Derry City:
Injured: Danny Ventre (knee), Cliff Byrne (medial ligament), Dean Jarvis (foot),
Doubtful: Ryan McBride (foot)
Suspended: None
Cup Tied: Shaun Kelly
Malahide United:
Injured: Unavailable
Doubtful: Unavailable
Suspended: Unavailable
