Derry City -v- Athlone Town

• Keith Wallace
• Fri, Mar 26 2010


Derry City will be looking for their first home win of the season as they attempt to bounce back from last week’s loss in Waterford when they welcome high-flying Athlone Town to the Brandywell on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm), the clubs’ first competitive meeting at the venue in ten years. Stephen Kenny’s side opened the campaign with a home draw against Cork City FORAS and a win at Limerick, before Liam Kearney inflicted a costly defeat on his old club with an early close-range effort at the RSC seven days ago.

Desperate times
That result put five points between Derry and pacesetters Waterford just three games into the new campaign, and the Northern outfit will be desperate for victory to bridge that gap ahead of the Blues’ trip to Salthill Devon on Saturday evening. Their task, however, will not be an easy one as they face second-placed Athlone, themselves desperate to avoid a repeat collapse. The Midlanders also started 2009 in impressive fashion, taking seven points from their opening three games, before eventually finishing the season a lowly tenth. Brendan Place has guided his side on an identical run this time around, with back-to-back wins against Mervue United and Salthill, and a draw at home to Cork last weekend.

Selection headache
Place, who this week returns to the team after spending a few days in Blackburn continuing with his UEFA “Pro” License, has plenty of selection worries, with Des Hope and Kevin Williamson both missing due to sending-offs in last Saturday’s stalemate, while Noel McGee will miss one game due to receiving eight yellows cards during the 2009 season. Added to that, both Robbie Benson and Tom O’Halloran are on duty with the Irish Schools in Wrexham. On a positive note, Stephen Caffrey returns after missing out last week but he has a game under his belt having played the full 90 minutes of Monday’s EA Sports Cup win over Longford Town.

Extratime.ie Prediction: Derry City to win, 2-0.