Derry City -v- Shelbourne

The two sides last met when contesting an FAI cup semi final replay last season which the Candystripes won 3-0. Derry will however have some concerns about their home form having only taken one point out of a possible six so far, all be it to the teams who finished first and second in the league last season.

 

Derry will be in buoyant mood after claiming all three points in Cork last week with Rory Patterson scoring the only goal of the game in the 90th minute. They will also be delighted that their previously large injury list seems to be becoming a lot more manageable with the return to fitness of some key personnel. Patrick Kavanagh is expected to make the panel after recovering from a hamstring problem, Barry McNamee is fit again, Dermot McCaffrey is available, the McEleney brothers who missed last weeks match are back in contention and Sean Houston is fully fit after his early season woes.

 

Long term injury victim Stewart Greacen is out as well as captain Kevin Deery who is thought to need another week before returning. Derry will be looking to in-form front man Rory Patterson to fire them to a victory which would keep them on the heels of Sligo Rovers.

 

Speaking ahead of the game Declan Devine said, "We had a great result last week in Cork but for that to mean anything we must follow it up this week with a similar performance at home, at this moment I'm delighted with the work rate and application of the entire squad, we have been missing a couple of players due to little knocks and the players that have come in have stepped it up and given their all. So far we have only conceded two goals in four games and they have come against last season runners up (Drogheda United) and the current league champions (Sligo Rovers) but most importantly we have been creating chances and in the most part we have finished the ones that have come our way."

 

Shelbourne picked up their first point in the league campaign on Sunday, a 0-0 with Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park. While Rovers had the majority of the possession in the game, a number of clear-cut chances fell to Shelbourne, who on another night might have nicked the points.

Last season's meetings in the league, between Derry and Shels saw the Dubliners win twice, once in Tolka Park and once in the Brandwell, each by a margin of a single goal. The Candystripes took the points from the final league meeting, in Tolka Park, scoring twice without reply. Derry were drawn out of the hat first for theri FAI Cup Semi-Final which ended in a 1-1 draw, and so the tie moved to Tolka Park four days later, where visitors earned the right to play St. Patricks Athletic in the final at the Aviva Stadium thanks to a 3-0 win.

 

Shelbourne will travel north without the suspended Graham Gartland , who received an additional two game suspension, following the Red Card against Dundalk. On the injury front, both Glenn Cronin and Ger Hanley are some weeks away from a return to full fitness. Shelbourne will once again be relying on experienced frontman Philly Hughes in the hope of getting something from a very tough game.

 

Referee: Dave McKeon.

 

 

MATCH STATS
In last seasons three league games, Shelbourne came out on top with two victories to Derrys one.

The last time the two sides met was in the FAI cup semi final last season which Derry won 3-0.

Paddy Kavanagh is fit to make his league debut after injury for Derry after joining from Shelbourne.

 

BETTING
Derry City 8/15  Draw 5/2  Shelbourne 6/1

PREDICTION
A 2-0 win for Derry City

 

Injured: Stewart Greacen (knee), Kevin Deery (knee).
Suspended: None.

 

Injured: Glen Cronin, Ger Hanley.
Suspended: Graham Gartland.