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St. Patrick's Athletic - v - Derry City
- Jamie Mahon
- Thu, Jun 09 2011
A high scoring encounter is a distinct possibility as the league’s two top scoring teams, St Patrick’s Athletic and Derry City go head to head at Richmond Park on Friday evening (k.o.7.45pm). The two teams have a combined total of 56 league goals this term, and two of the most in form strikers in the league at present in Daniel North and Eamon Zayed.
Pats are coming into the game in great form with four wins and a draw in their last five league outings, and although they were defeated in the League Cup by a rejuvenated Cork City, they seem to be finding previously missing consistency under the watchful eye of Pete Mahon. Derry however seem to be blowing hot and cold at the moment, sandwiching a 6-0 thrashing of Galway between a narrow defeat at Dundalk and a surprising 4-1 drubbing at Wexford Youths in the FAI cup.
Derry will be missing their first choice centre half, Shane McEleney, as well as his natural replacement in Emmett Friars, so this could give young Ryan McBride an opportunity to stake a claim for more regular football. They are also without key winger, James McLean, who serves a one match suspension. Pats will also be under strength, with Connor Kenna and Derek Pender remaining sidelined with respective knee and foot injuries.
“It’s an important period but we will take it one game at a time", Derry City boss Stephen Kenny said. "We have shown a capacity to get results away from home and we need to do that again. Everyone let themselves down on Monday, so it’s up to them to respond and make sure we bounce back with a good result. Pat’s are going well at the moment, but we have to show that we can bounce back. Our league form has been excellent to get us where we are.
“We conceded another penalty last week and that’s six we have conceded so we have to be careful. Daniel North and Darryl Kavanagh are both quick and dangerous and have been in the goals lately.”
St. Pat’s boss Pete Mahon has a few injury worries ahead of the game. “Derek Pender took a kick to his instep against Crumlin. He has had an x-ray and there’s nothing broken or no fracture but the Derry game and Monday’s game against Dundalk will probably come too soon for him. Derek and Conor Kenna are the only two out for us and everybody else should be fit.
“There’s no point in me saying anymore on injuries because that’s really it. Every week I read that the opposition have six players definitely out or fourteen doubtful. They must all want to play against St Pats because they all seem to climb out of their sick beds and make a miraculous recovery by the time kick off comes around, despite them being definitely out.
“We’re trying to keep players fresh with all the fixtures being played and the European games not far away. It’s a juggling act and it can upset the team but our results have been good and the squad is better equipped than I thought.
“We’ve three big games now in a week with Derry tomorrow, Dundalk on Monday and Drogheda next Friday. After tomorrow’s game we’ve three away fixtures in a row starting with Dundalk and ending with Galway on Monday week. We know a win tomorrow will see us in the top three but we want to be top of the league, never mind the top three; that’s the goal.”
A win for the home side will see them leapfrog Derry in the table. This will be a meeting of two of the most attacking sides in the division, and as such I am going out on a limb and predicting a 2-2 draw.
St. Patrick’s Athletic:
Injured: Connor Kenna (knee), Derek Pender (instep).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Derry City Injured: Shane McEleney (groin), Emmett Friars (hip).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: James McLean.
Referee: Alan Kelly
Match Odds: St Pat’s 6/4, Draw 11/5, Derry City 7/4
Extratime.ie prediction: An enthralling 2-2 draw.
About Jamie Mahon
Jamie Mahon joined the Extratime team at the beginning of 2011. Hailing from the North West, Jamie reports on all things Derry City. He can be contacted at theearcher@hotmail.com or on Twitter @JamieMahon23.