Airtricity League Premier Division: Derry City v Bohemians (Friday, 7.45pm)
DERRY City manager Kenny Shiels is looking for his side to record their first win in seven games when they face Bohemians on Friday.
Shiels feels City are getting back to their old selves and three points this evening against the Dubliners would be the perfect tonic, as they start a run of three games in the next six days.
“We want to try and get the result and get the victory, to add to the momentum that we are trying to regenerate,” he said.
“It’s a tough game but I’m hoping for a nice evening for our supporters to come and give us there backing and hopefully we can get them a result, which would help us enormously.
“I look to try and manage the squad because we have three games in six days.
“It’s hard, because you are preparing, you are recovering, you are preparing and you are recovering and then playing again, so it’s difficult, but we’ll endeavor to do our best, that’s all we can do.”
Shiels (left) has seen the Dubliners on a number of occasions and he believes they will be a tough nut to crack.
“Bohs are a good side and they’ll come into our game full of confidence after beating Finn Harps,” he added.
“They have got good players and they’ll be hard to beat, so we have to make sure that we are on our game and play with the proper commitment and quality that we know that we can do and try to get three points over the line.”
The Candystripes boss confirmed that striker Mikhail Kennedy is missing with a knee problem, while Rory Patterson is still on the treatment table.
“Mikhail is out with a knee injury and Rory isn’t running just yet, but he’s doing a lot of work in the pool and rehabilitation and he isn’t far away from starting to train, so we are looking at the break in June to have him back.
“It would be nice to have him back in four weeks but I’m not the right person to ask.
Airtricity League Premier Division: Cork City v Finn Harps (Friday, 7.45pm)
FINN Harps will be bidding to succeed where all others have failed so far this season as they attempt to halt the Cork City juggernaut in tonight’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash at Turner’s Cross (kick-off 7.45 pm).
Rampant Cork still have a 100 per cent record and have made the best start to a league campaign of any League of Ireland club in 51 years.
Having notched up 11 wins on the trot – not to mention victories in the President’s Cup and EA Sport Cup –they are already 12 points clear at the summit.
However, they have still some way to go before they can hope to beat the record set by Bohemians in 1923/24 when Bohemians won their opening 15 games in a season in which only 18 league games were played.
The odds are certainly stacked against Harps and with an ongoing injury crisis also to factor in manager Ollie Horgan knows that this is just about as tough as it gets.
He feels that Cork are “in a different league” than the Donegal club and it will be the surprise of the season if the outcome is anything other than a Cork victory.
Indeed, Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane has joined the ranks of those who now say that the title is “theirs to lose” such has been the start to the campaign by the Leesiders.
This game marks the first in the second series of games and City will be brimming with confidence.
They beat Harps 1-0 in Ballybofey on the opening day of the season, but on their home patch all the indications are that it will be one-way traffic.
City are expecting another crowd in excess of 5,000 and the Shed End will be hungry for a goal feast. City have scored 28 and conceded just five goals in 11 league games; by contrast Harps have scored 13 and conceded 19 and have lost four out of their last five league games.
Striker Sean Maguire, who turned 23 this week, is the league’s hottest property at the moment and was on target again in last week’s 2-1 defeat of Bray, a game that saw
Donegal-born Cork captain Johnny Dunleavy also on the scoresheet.
City’s biggest obstacle could be complacency but having played second fiddle to champions Dundalk for the past three seasons, manager John Caulfield is determined to guide his side to the title for the first time since 2005.
Harps, without the suspended Barry Molloy, may well have to embark on a damage limitation exercise. They key will be to hold out for as long as possible.
Ever the realist, Horgan admits it will be very, very tough.
“Nobody gives us a chance going down to Turners Cross but we’ll prepare as we always do. We’ll give it everything and see where that brings us,” he said.
Harps are 16/1 to win. The bookies’ odds are indicative of the task facing Harps.
THE game of the night sees champions Dundalk take on Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.
Bray Wanderers, who will be looking to bounce back from their loss to runaway leaders Cork City last week, host St Patrick’s Athletic.
Bottom side Galway United, fresh from their win over Dundalk last week, which was their first of league success of the season, travel to Drogheda United, while tomorrow night Gerry Flynn’s Sligo Rovers host Limerick.
In the First Division this evening leaders Waterford entertain fellow promotion hopefuls Shelbourne; UCD face Wexford, Cobh Ramblers travel to Athlone Town and tomorrow Longford Town visit Cabinteely.
