League Preview: Derry City - v - Bohemians

Kenny Shiels’ Derry City will go into Friday evening’s match against Bohemians at the Brandywell seeking to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games.

DERRY CITY

The Candystripes progressed to the quarter-final of the EA Sports Cup last Monday night with a 2-0 home win over Sligo Rovers thanks to Nathan Boyle’s brace.

Shiels will be eager to get his side back to winning ways in the league though following Saturday night’s disappointing 1-1 draw in Longford.

It actually looked for lengthy periods like they were going to lose to Tony Cousins’ outfit, especially following Rory Patterson’s missed penalty, coupled with Dean Jarvis’ rasping effort cannoning off the crossbar.

However, minutes after his introduction Patrick McClean unleashed a vicious 30-yard strike off his left-foot, sending it past Longford ‘keeper Paul Skinner to rescue a point for the stuttering visitors.

Derry now sit only two points behind leaders Dundalk in the league standings and with Derry’s influential midielder Conor McCormack recovering from an injury which prevented him from starting last weekend’s match, they will be confident of beating the visitors to the Brandywell.

Josh Daniels is set to return to the Derry squad for his first league game since the awful tragedy in Buncrana a month ago which claimed the lives of his mother and sister. He returned to playing duties on Tuesday evening and received a warm and unsurprisingly emotional reception when introduced in the second half.

Derry will hope that their fans will again turn out in large numbers as they seek to prolong their 100% home league record.

BOHEMIANS

Keith Long’s men have failed to replicate their form of 2015 so far in this campaign. His side showed glimpses of what they are capable of producing during last week’s drubbing at home to Shamrock Rovers, but in the end they were on the wrong end of a 4-0 annihilation.

They actually began the match well and had two very good chances to open the scoring in the first half through Keith Buckley and Ismahil Akinade. However, both failed to convert and Rovers punished them emphatically with Gary McCabe, Brandon Miele (2) and Gavin Brennan registering for the visitors.

The game was marred though by crowd trouble which saw sections of both support make their way onto the field before clashing and disrupting the match temporarily. Both clubs have since been fined and warned regarding the future conduct of their supporters by the FAI.

Bohs over-achieved in the eyes of many of their followers last season. They tailed off towards the end of that campaign, eventually missing out on European Football by finishing fifth.

Thus, the Dalymount outfit would have set European qualification at the top of the 2016 list of targets, but having lost four of their opening eight league matches, they languish in eighth position meaning that European football already looks to be beyond them.

Ahead of their trip north to face Derry City, Long has challenged his players to “go out and restore some pride” following their embarrassing Dublin derby defeat.

The former Bray Wanderers and Athlone Town boss added when speaking to his club’s website that: "It's been a bad week. We were obviously particularly disappointed with the result against Rovers.

“We know that the result and score line wasn’t acceptable. Everyone is hurting, but we cannot feel sorry for ourselves. We've got to pick ourselves up, go to Derry and put in a fighting performance and show some character."

Referee: Paul Tuite.

MATCH STATS

Bohs won all three meetings between the sides last season with two of those victories arriving at the Brandywell (2-1, 4-2 & 3-2).

The sides have met 71 times in all competitions. Derry have won 29 of those meetings, with 20 ending in a draw, while Bohs have only ever won nine times at the Brandywell.

Derry’s last win over the Gypsies came in August 2014. Rory Patterson scored twice in a 4-0 win for the Candystripes.

BETTING

Derry City 5/6; Draw 23/10; Bohemians 7/2.

PREDICTION

Derry City 3-1 Bohemians

Derry City

Injured: Unknown

Doubtful: Unknown

Suspended: None

Bohemians

Injured: Jake Kelly (ill)

Doubtful: Ayman Ben Mohamed, Derek Pender, Dylan Hayes

Suspended: None