League Preview: Bohemians -v- Derry City

BOHEMIAN FC

The Gypsies welcome Derry City to Dalymount Park on Friday evening (kick off 7.45pm). Bohs have a knack for scoring late equalisers at the moment, and this theme continued last week in Limerick, and followed on from their 1-1 home draw with Shamrock Rovers.

Dan Casey netted with four minutes remaining to rescue a point for his side, after Barry Maguire had given Limerick a first-half lead at Market's Field.

The equaliser was a sign of Bohs’ current belief and never-say-die attitude which is permeating throughout the squad.

Without those two aforementioned equalisers, the Phibsboro club would find themselves in a seriously precarious position in the table.

Boss Keith Long had mixed feelings when it came to the Limerick game, when speaking to his club’s official website.

“Limerick really was a game of two halves,” said Long. “They’ll feel they should have been further ahead going in at the break.

“We changed things around at half-time and the balance of team was better, although we were disappointed with the first-half.”

Ahead of Friday night's tie with Derry, the ex-Athlone Town manager is expecting a tough game for his men and one where he knows they’ll have to be at the top of their game to achieve a positive result.

“They’ve done well against us recently, but that doesn’t come into it, it’s all about Friday night.



“They are fourth in the table for a reason and will come to Dalymount confident despite their recent run.”

A win for Bohs on Friday night, who currently sit in seventh place, could move them to within three points of Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers, who play Bray on Saturday, as well as help the Gypsies move clear of the teams below them in the relegation places.

 

DERRY CITY

The Candystripes are on a disappointing run of form, with only four points from the last eight games and four losses in their last five, which has seen them drop off after an impressive winning spell. However they still sit fourth in the league table.

A 2-0 reversal at home to struggling Sligo Rovers and a 4-2 away loss to leaders Cork City on Bank Holiday Monday, in what was a rearranged fixture, meant Derry are low on confidence at present.



Those two losses in the last three days meant Derry could not break away from the teams below them in the table and it also could not draw ground on Waterford in third.

Derry do have a pretty immaculate record at Dalymount though, winning their last nine games in all competitions at the Dublin venue, but manager Kenny Shiels was is adamant that the opposition are the favourites to buck the trend. 

“We go there with a great record against them and that will give us confidence, but they are one of the strongest squads in the league,” Shiels told his club's official website ahead of the game.

“We’re on a bit of a slump at the minute but we really need to pick ourselves up going into the break. 

“We have to be more resolute and need to stop the basic errors like the ones that stopped us getting a result against Cork.”

A win for the Candystripes on Friday night would go a long way in their quest for qualifying for Europe again, as well as snapping their wretched recent form.

 

Referee: Graham Kelly

 

MATCH STATS

On Tuesday night, an experimental Bohemians side, which contained six players who were starting the Leaving Cert the next day, lost out 3-1 away to Dundalk in the Leinster Senior Cup (see match report here). 

Derry have won their last nine games at Dalymount Park - eight of which were in the league and one in the cup.

From the two fixtures played out between the pair this season, Derry have won both. They had a 1-0 victory at the home of Irish football at the end of February and had a 3-1 win in the Brandywell in mid-April.

 

BETTING

Bohemians 5/4; Draw 23/10; Derry City 2/1.

 

PREDICTION

Bohemians 1 – 1 Derry City

 

Bohemian FC

Injured: Colin McCabe (shoulder), Karl Moore (ankle), Darragh Leahy (knee), Cristian Magerusan (metatarsal), Ryan Swan (cruciate).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Unknown.

 

Derry City

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Nicky Low, Gavin Peers, Conor McDermott.

Suspended: Unknown.

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