DERRY City’s Greg Sloggett has warned his team-mates not to think for one minute that tonight’s clash against an out-of-sorts Cork City, is going to be easy.
The Rebel Army travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium tonight on the back of a terrible run of form, as they have only won once in their last 13 league games.
Despite Neale Fenn coming in as manager, their third new boss this season, the Munster men’s form hasn’t really improved, nevertheless Sloggett is expecting a tough test and believes the likes of Karl Sheppard, Gearoid Morrissey and Garry Buckley to name but three players can hurt the Candy Stripes, who go into the game knowing three points would move them above Bohemians into that all important European spot.
“We can’t underestimate this Cork City side they have some very good players, in that squad and they can do damage, so while collectively as a group they may have struggled, but individually they can do damage.
“We have to take the game on its merits and we can’t just say look it’s Cork who are out of form and think it will be an easy victory, we have to go out there and apply ourselves properly and hopefully get the three points, so we can move into third spot.”
The Brandywell men have picked up seven points from their previous three encounters already this season.
In fact, in their last meeting, which took place at Turner’s Cross way back in June, Derry secured an emphatic 4-1 win thanks to David Parkhouse’s opener, before Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe helped himself to a hat-trick.
However the 23-year-old midfielder conceded that Declan Devine’s side had to work hard to secure their victories.
“We have had to work for every point that we have taken off Cork this year and Friday night will be no different,” he insisted.
“Every game has been hard games and yes while we beat them a few times, they have all been tough games.”
Derry go into the game without winger Jamie McDonagh through suspension, while Gerardo Bruna is struggling with a hip flexor problem and Darren McCauley is also a doubt with concession.
Meanwhile elsewhere tonight all eyes will be on Dalymount Park, as Bohemians host old Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers, in the Extra.ie FAI Cup semi-final.
While treble chasing Dundalk, who clinched their fifth SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title in six years on Monday night when they seen off Stephen Bradley’s men, make the trip to Sligo Rovers in the other semi-final, on Sunday evening.
