League Preview: Derry City -v- Bohemians

• Andrew Dempsey
• Mon, Apr 10 2023




DERRY CITY

Derry City will be hoping to move top of the Premier Division on Monday evening when they host Bohemians at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium (kick-off at 7pm).

City were defeated by Drogheda United at home on Friday night – and finished the game with ten men after Cameron McJannett was dismissed in the second half.

And their boss Ruaidhri Higgins is looking for a reaction from his charges against Bohs.

“We didn’t play well against Drogheda, there’s no getting away from that, but with a short turnaround, we obviously now need to switch our attention to Monday,” he said.

“It’s a great game for us. Bohs are a good side and they’ve started the season really well.

“It’s an opportunity to put a disappointing result behind us and to focus on trying to get a big three points.”

“It’s Derry City against Bohemians and hopefully it will be a good game in front of a big noisy Brandywell crowd.”

Mark Connolly, Colm Whelan, Cameron Dummigan, Michael Duffy and Ciaron Harkin are all expected to miss out for the Candystripes.

BOHEMIANS

After losing their first home league game of the season on Friday night, Bohemians travel north to take on Derry City.

The Gypsies were well beaten by Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park, but they will be looking for a swift response.

They remain top of the pile, and that is not lost on their boss Declan Devine.

“We've started the season superbly well but we go onto one more game in this round of games and if we don't get any points in that, we'll still have started really well,” he told RTE.

“But we'll get ourselves ready now for Monday.

“If you had offered this (points haul) at the start with a brand new group of players, 14 players coming in, Dublin derby losing it (I'm) not happy but we have to accept that and tonight probably a better team won.

“But at the same time, whenever we're in a really strong position for the opening 35, 40 minutes, you've got to take your chances in these games and make sure that you punish the opposition the way they did with the chances they had tonight.”

Jordan Flores and Keith Buckley were rated as doubts for Bohs prior to Friday’s derby loss against Shamrock Rovers.

Referee: Neil Doyle.

 

PREDICTION

Derry City 2-1 Bohemians

 

Derry City

Injured: Mark Connolly, Colm Whelan, Cameron Dummigan, Michael Duffy, Ciaron Harkin.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Cameron McJannett.

 

Bohemians

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Jordan Flores, Keith Buckley.

Suspended: None.