League Preview: Derry City -v- Finn Harps

DERRY CITY

It's one of the most sought-out football fixtures in the Irish calendar, especially in the north-west and under the reliable lights of Maginn on a Friday night, where flashes of both red and blue will be seen across Donegal, but not in Ballybofey. This time it’s up the road in little Buncrana as Derry City welcome Finn Harps to Maginn Park. (kick-off 7.45pm).

Kenny Shiels shouldn’t have to get his side up for this one, but after two defeats on the spin, he may have to. However, if the players can’t find it within themselves to get up for a game like this, which would get their season back on track if they got the win, then they may struggle all year to get up for a game of football.

It was a really tough night for the Candystripes last Friday against Cork City, a game that was on national TV, and to get a hammering as they did you can be sure that they will be hurting from that defeat and the way they went about their business that night.

Injuries have hammered Derry’s season so far. First-choice striker Rory Patterson was out for several weeks at the start of the season and only played a handful of minutes against Bray Wanderers two weeks ago before coming off injured again.

The influence the Strabane man has on the Candystripes is hugely significant to City’s season and he will be a huge loss to Shiels after a scan last week revealed a broken ankle, which means he will spend at least three months on the sidelines.

Conor McDermott struggled last week against former Derry midfielder Stephen Dooley and he probably hasn’t adapted as quickly as Kenny Shiels would have liked after the 19-year-old also injured himself at the start of the campaign.

The Foylersiders will understandably be still coming to terms with the death of Ryan McBride, and you couldn’t imagine Derry would have lost against Bray Wanderers or against Cork City the way they did if the powerful centre-half was in defence.

That is something Kenny Shiels will never be able to fix, but a replacement is needed and quickly because even though the Candystripes are only technically at the starting point of their season, they can’t afford any more defeats if they want to cement a title push this year.

Barry McNamee was also absent against Cork City last week and Derry will be without him for the next two weeks as he recovers from injury.

This could mean Mikhail Kennedy could get his second start of the season against Harps as the Derry man will be looking to impress as he nears the end of his loan spell in June.

Derry City hadn't lost two games in a row before last week under Kenny Shiels and he expects a big response tomorrow night.

"It's the first time we have lost two games in a row since I arrived at the club," said Shiels.

"We've always bounced back - we've got to make sure we apply ourselves and go with the right attitude.”

Shiels expects a response but he doesn’t expect it to be easy.

"That's been the motivation for Finn Harps - being written off," added Shiels.

"They have got bucket-loads of experience, way ahead of us in that area, and really good players.

"We just had a bad day at the office against Cork. The team played with a bit of fear and they have to eliminate that from their thought process."

FINN HARPS

The Harps haven’t had the start to the season they would have wanted, but it doesn’t come as a shock as the Ballybofey side were expected to struggle this season.

Ollie Horgan’s reasonably experienced side have only got nine points from a possible 27 so far, but to be fair to the Donegal side they have come up against some top opposition like Cork City, Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers and Limerick.

Although, they could be playing Derry at the right time as the Candystripes have suffered two defeats in a row and are low on confidence.

A point wouldn’t be the worse result for Harps as they too look to get their season back on track and, going off last year's record, they may be able to frustrate this Derry team tomorrow night.

A 2-1 win at Finn Park and a draw at the Brandywell last year is something Horgan will take confidence from and he may look to take advantage of Derry’s stadium predicament at Maginn Park.

Managaer Ollie Horgan knows that his side must try and get a result in Buncrana with the way other results went in the Premier Division last weekend.

“We have to look after ourselves and we’ll go to Maginn Park looking to get a result.

“Derry lost against Bray and Cork so Kenny Shiels will have his team really up for this one. He will see us as a big chance to get Derry’s season back on track.

"Things have changed a bit at our end of the table after Sligo, Drogheda, and Limerick all winning last weekend.

“There’s a long way to go and there’ll be plenty more twists and turns before the end of the season” Horgan said.

Ollie Horgan has his own injury worries with another forward, Eddie Dsane joining two other strikers, Ciaran O’Connor and Danny Morrissey, on the injured list.

“Eddie [Dsane] has a back problem and wasn’t able to train so that is our three strikers injured because Ciaran O’Connor and Danny Morrissey are still being treated for hamstring strains.

“Paddy McCourt is still troubled by an ankle problem and Barry Molloy has an ongoing calf injury.

“We’ll just have to see how things are closer to kick-off and again it will probably be an opportunity for a couple of other lads to get some game time.”

Referee: Ray Matthews

MATCH FACTS

Friday’s game will be the 63rd meeting between the two clubs, and the first to be played at Maginn Park.

Harps will take confidence from the four points they took from Derry last year, and look to put right the 5-0 thrashing they received in their last meeting last August.

Finn Harps have only won six of the 62 previous meetings between the two teams, while Derry have won 40. There have been 16 draws.

BETTING

Derry City 1/2; Draw 3/1; Finn Harps 6/1

PREDICTION

Derry City – Finn Harps

Derry City

Injured: Rory Patterson; Barry McNamee.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Finn Harps

Injured: Eddie Dsane, Ciaran O'Connor, Danny Morrissey.

Doubtful: Barry Molloy, Paddy McCourt.

Suspended: None.