League Preview: Derry City -v- Galway United

DERRY CITY

Derry City will be looking to return to winning ways when they host Galway United at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Friday, 29 March (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Candystripes had been unbeaten in the Premier Division until their game a fortnight ago when they travelled to Dublin to face Bohemians who had just parted ways with manager Declan Devine.

It’s possible Derry fell foul of Bohemians’ ‘no-manager’ bounce that night as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Dalymount Park.

Dayle Rooney and former Derry City player James Akintunde put the Gypsies into a two goal lead by the 77^th minute, City’s Ronan Boyce scored what would ultimately prove to be a consolation goal in the 79^th minute.

They currently sit five points off the top of the table behind high flying Shelbourne who have yet to lose a game, Ruaidhrí Higgins will be hoping Dundalk can come good against the Reds in their game at Oriel Park to allow his side close the gap even at this early stage of the season.

GALWAY UNITED

What began as a fairly good start to life back in the top flight is now possibly neither here nor there as Galway United have failed to win in their last three games.

Granted, two of those would have looked like very tough asks – Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers – but their scoreless draw with Drogheda United was a major missed opportunity earlier this month.

Compounding things is that they have now failed to score in three games in a row, and in four out of six games, if that’s a habit they will continue they’re going to have a tough time of it as the campaign progresses.

With the negatives out of the way – time to look at some of the positives, the main one being that in all of their three losses against St Patrick’s Athletic, Shels and Rovers, they’ve only lost by one goal.

Defensively they seem mostly sound but going forward is where the trouble starts.

In their last game they seemed to cope well with Shamrock Rovers for most of the game at Eamonn Deacy Park, it even seemed like they were getting on top of the Hoops late on in the game.

One poor moment at the back in the 84^th minute allowed Rovers in at the Tribesmen’s defence and ultimately Johnny Kenny drove a powerful shot home for their first win of the season – such is the quality in the Premier Division.

Assistant manager Ollie Horgan reflected as much when he spoke to the press after the game: “It’s a very quiet changing room in there which is a good thing, they're hurting, we're all hurting.

“But that's what it's about and that's what this division is about. We’ve lost narrowly at home here to obviously Shamrock Rovers, to Pat’s, we lost narrowly in Shelburne, all one nil.

“And that's maybe the relentless nature of this league and the quality of this league. If they switch off for a second as we did there tonight, you get punished.”

In team news, Garry Buckley still hasn’t been seen since the opening night of the season when he came off injured, Wassime Aouachria has yet to appear in a match day squad having been injured during pre-season and Colm Horgan hasn’t played since their game against Shelbourne.

Referee: Declan Toland

MATCH STATS

Galway United have scored just four goals in six games – and they have only scored in two games.

Galway native Pat Hoban alone has scored six times for Derry City and scored in four separate games this season for Derry City.

The sides have not faced each other since the 2017 season, Derry ran out 2-1 winners when they met at the Brandywell that season.

BETTING

Derry City 3/4; Draw 13/5; Galway United 3/1.

PREDICTION

Derry City 1–0 Galway United

Derry City

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Galway United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.