Preview: UCD vs Derry City

UCD will take to the field tonight in what shall be the Belfield Bowls first taste of FAI Eircom League of Ireland action. Derry City provide the opposition and a good size away crowd will be doing their best to add to the party atmosphere of the Bowls big day. Both these sides underachieved last season so it will be interesting to see who can can raise their games and start the 2008 campaign with three points.

UCD and Belfield has apparently always been "a difficult place to go to", however their home form last season let them down. Just eighteen points and four wins meant that come the end of the season they were dragged into a relegation battle that they really should have never been participants in. With three teams facing the drop this season its imperative for the Students that they improve their home record. Getting points on the board as quick as possible will also go a long way towards ensuring they have a fighting chance of survival. They started last season brightly and were as high as fifth after two months.

Derry have welcomed Stephen Kenny back with open arms with the belief that he and the club have some unfinished business to take care off. After coming so close to the title on two occasions Kenny firmly believes that he can take the club one step further. Achieving that this season looks very tough - Kenny has returned to a stronger more competitive league than the one he hastily left at the end of the 2006 season.

UCD manager Pete Mahon has been speaking about the number of first team players that have left the club over the close season. Darren Quigley, Tony MacDonnell, Conan Byrne, Shane McFaul and Conor Sammon in particular will be missed and tough to replace. Of course Sammon and Quigley will tonight line up against their former team mates. In stark contrast to Mahon, who must plan without the spine of last seasons side, Stephen Kenny finds himself with the same nucleus that served him so well during his first spell at the club. Peter Hutton, Eddie McCallion, Barry Molloy, Ciaran Martyn, Kevin Deery, Pat McCourt, Mark Farren and Kevin McHugh are all still at the club.

UCD have no injury worries as such to contend with however two players must be rated as not fully fit .Winger Derek Doyle made a brief comeback in a pre-season friendly recently. It was his first football since breaking a leg away at Sligo last season. He wont be fully match fit, nor will be as sharp as he should be. Its very unlikely he will start but not impossible that he could be named among the substitutes. Left back Ian Bermingham has also just gotten over an injury. Bermingham played practically no part in UCDs pre season schedule. Again its hard to see him being fully match fit, ready,and sharp - however after being such a big player last term Pete Mahon may well feel the need to include him in the starting eleven.

Derry have a few long term injuries. Centre back Mark McCrystal is recovering from a broken bone in his foot and full back Sean Hargan is once again suffering with an ankle problem. Striker Sammy Morrow wont feature again until the end of April - he damaged a cruciate ligament last season. Midfielder Kevin Deery is a doubt, he has been slow to recover from an knee injury he picked up in a recent friendly game. Deery will be assessed again prior to kick off to see if he is up to playing any part.

These sides met five times in total last season, three times in the league and once in each cup competition. UCD won two of those encounters, both at the Brandywell, two games ended all square and Derrys single win came in the League Cup.

Kick off at the Belfield Bowl is at 19.45

Probable starting XI's

UCD - Gregg, Mahon, Shorthall, Kenna, Gallagher, McWalter, Finn, McNally, Fitzgerald, Purcell & Byrne
Derry - Quigley, OCallaghan, Hutton, Delaney, Gray, McGlynn, Molloy, Martyn, McCourt, Sammon & McHugh