Sligo Rovers -v- Derry City
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SLIGO ROVERS
League leaders Sligo Rovers welcome Derry City to The Showgrounds on Saturday, where a win for the Bit O’ Red will see them edge closer to the title.
Rovers are currently five points ahead of St. Patrick’s Athletic in second with a game in hand. Sligo were 2-1 winners in the last meeting of these two sides this season. Their first meeting this season was a 1-1 draw.
Ian Baraclough has no fresh injury worries but is still without Danny North, Alan Keane and Iarfhlaith Davoren who will all be missing for the remainder of the season.
The former Scunthorpe manager is looking forward to the game: “These are type of games that at the start of the season you want to bring to the football club. We are right in the mix with five matches to go and we have earned the chance to be the fox if you like and be chased by other teams.”
“Everyone is focused on what we have to do and whatever happens in other matches, our job is to get three points on Saturday.
“Derry have a game with us, a game on Tuesday and one or two players have been coming back from injury ahead of their FAI Cup semi-final so they have a lot left in their season. Their players will all want to impress in the two matches before the cup game so I expect as difficult a game as we’ve had against them this year, like the previous meetings.
DERRY CITY
The Candystripes will travel to Sligo hoping that they can become only the second side to defeat Rovers this season.
City are sitting eighth in the table, just three points ahead of UCD. Both Simon Madden and Ryan McBride return from suspension and Patrick McEleney is expected to return from injury.
Declan Devine will be without the services of Barry Molloy, who is suspended, and Stephen McLaughlin is doubtful due to a groin injury.
Speaking to the Derry Journal, Devine wants his side to improve on their losing performance against UCD: “First and foremost, we’ve got to go out and show what we are much better than the performance we exhibited against UCD last Friday night.
“We’ve done well at the Showgrounds earlier in the year when recording a 1-1 result and the players will be asked to build on that performance. We then face Dundalk on Tuesday, so we’re in for a busy few days”.
Referee: Paul Tuite.
MATCH STATS
If Sligo Rovers can avoid defeat they will set a new club record for unbeaten league games (14).
Only Sligo and St. Patrick’s Athletic have conceded less goals that Derry.
Derry have only won three of the last seventeen games against Sligo in all competitions.
BETTING
Sligo Rovers 2/5; Draw 16/5; Derry City 7/1.
PREDICTION
A 3-1 win for Sligo Rovers.
Sligo Rovers Injury News: Danny North, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Alan Keane.
Sligo Rovers Suspension News: None.
Derry City Injury News: Stephen McLaughlin.
Derry City Suspension News: Barry Molloy.
