Preview: Bohemians vs Derry City

• Bar OSullivan
• Fri, Apr 25 2008




Two of the leagues most successful and well known managers of recent times come head to head on Friday night at Dalymount Park. Bohemians take on Derry City in what is probably the tie of night in the eircom league.

Coming into the tie Bohs know that a win over Stephen Kennys men would lift them to the top of the table - until Sunday evening at least. Three points for third placed Derry wont be enough to return them to the summit but it would be enough for them to leapfrog Bohs and claim the number two spot.

Bohs manager Pat Fenlon knows more than most about the opposition having recently spent a short period in the Brandywell hot-seat. Eight of the players involved in Derrys last game were at the club when Fenlon was in charge. Current Candystripes boss Stephen Kenny was of course the Bohs manager from 2001 until the summer of 2004.

At Dalymount last season is where Bohs were at their best - they ended the season with the strongest home record in the league. Their three home games so far this season haven't quite carried on that form. They started with a defeat to St Pats, overcame Finn Harps by three goals to nil and then only managed a draw with Bray. Aware that performances and results at home are important and need to improve Fenlon this week told Bohemians.ie that " We have disappointed at the Pats game and the Bray game here and we have got to put on a decent performance for our own supporters "

Its on the road where Bohs have been most impressive this season. Four wins from four games have made up for the couple of disappointing home results. Included in those four wins are victories at both Tolka Park and United Park - indeed Bohs are the only team so far to have inflicted home defeats on Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda - and its probably fair to say that very few teams will pick up three points at these venues over the course of the season.

Derry's strong start to the season has surprised many eircom league observers. Considering they were so poor for the majority of last season one must wonder just what Stephen Kenny has that Fenlon, John Robertson and Peter Hutton didn't. Last weeks surprise defeat to Bray was their first of the season. They may have had the rub of the green when they defeated UCD and Finn Harps and scrapped a draw at Turners Cross, but they then went on to record deserved wins over Drogheda and St Pats (twice).

Kenny has got Derry playing in a way that they simply didn't look capable of under last years various managers. Some fans have even gone so far as to claim that Kennys success at Derry during his first spell as manager was due to the fact that he was able to coax players into overachieving and play at a level over and above their intrinsic ability. Whatever the reasons may be revival so far this season, Kenny certainly has no shortage of confidence in his players. On top of that he ensures they are well organised in all departments and spend plenty of time at the training ground on set pieces - including throw ins.

The former Dunfermline manager didn't have too much to say to the press ahead of Fridays game but still got his message across - "Bohemians have lots of experience but we have a good record at Dalymount. They are many people's favourites but we should go there without fear".

Apart from long term casualties Kevin Hunt and Thomas Heary, Fenlon has a full squad to choose from and may be tempted to stick with the same eleven that won in Drogheda. Conor Powell was expected to be missing but he has made a full recovery and will start at left back.

Once again Derry have a long injury list. Sean Hargan, Mark McCrystal, Sammie Morrow, Kevin Deery, Darren Quigley and Pat McCourt are all ruled out. Centre back Clive Delaney is suspended as a result of receiving a red card last week at the Carlisle Grounds.

Kick off at Dalymount Park is at 7.45 and as usual extratime.ie will be there to keep you up to date with everything that happens.