Season Preview: Derry City

Derry City FC

Year Founded: 1928
Stadium: The Brandywell
Manager: Declan Devine
Key Player: Rory Patterson

Derry City Squad

Derry City will be looking to build on last season's FAI Cup win and 5th placed league position. Declan Devine has added some quality to the panel in an attempt to push his side towards the top of the table and will be hopeful of mounting a title challenge.
 

The Candystripes have had a mixed pre season, losing their first two friendlies to the Irish leagues Ballinamallard Utd (4-2) and a Northern Ireland junior select (2-1) before registering victories over local rivals Finn Harps (2-1) and Institute (1-0).

Declan Devine has lost the services of all time leading goalscorer Mark Farren (Glenavon), Conor Murphy (St Pats) and their two top goalscorers from last season, with David McDaid and Stephen McLaughlin having left for Nottingham Forest and York City respectively.
 

Coming in to the squad are two former Dundalk strikers, Mark Griffin and Michael Rafter, Sean Houston from Bray, Patrick Kavanagh joins from Shelbourne and Thomas Crawley from Longford Town. That on top of another years experience for Derry City’s young squad members such as the McEleney brothers, Ryan McBride, Barry McNamee and Ryan Curran. The experienced spine of players like internationals Gerard Doherty and Rory Patterson, captain Kevin Deery, Barry Molloy, Stewart Greacen, Ruadhri Higgins and Simon Madden, will form the basis of the Foyleside clubs challenge in the year ahead.

Much will be expected of classy striker Patterson this year after an injury interrupted first season, and his contribution in the cup final should only be a taste of what’s to come from the talented Strabane native. And although they have lost a good chunk of their goals from last season with McDaid and McLaughlin leaving, the arrivals of Griffin and Rafter and an injury free Patterson should redress the balance, especially with Patrick Kavanagh providing the creative spark.

After a very strong finish to last season Declan Devine and Paul Hegarty will be confident of being in the mix at the business end of the table come the seasons end. They will fall short however, possibly finishing third with a strong chance of winning one of the three domestic cups they are contesting. They also have Europe to look forward to after a few seasons in the wilderness.