DERRY CITY head to the Showgrounds, Sligo, this evening with manager Declan Devine hoping that his side can build on the midweek League Cup defeat of Finn Harps. The visitors are definitely without Stewart Greacen, who will be sidelined for a couple of months with a knee problem, and have doubts about Rory Patterson, Stephen McLaughlin, Owen Morrison, Ruaidhrí Higgins and Shane McEleney as they prepare to take on the league’s form team.
“It’s been a good start but nothing more than that,” insists Ian Barraclough, whose side go into the game sitting pretty at the top of the table, three points clear of Shamrock Rovers.
“I’ve inherited a good group of players and they’ve worked very hard to take on board the things that I’ve sought to bring to the team, so I’m not surprised that things have been going well.
“But we’re going into a tough spell now with Derry then St Pats – both of whom are expected to be contenders – as well as Drogheda, who have been the division’s surprise package so far so we’ll see where we are in a few weeks.”
Barraclough has both Jason McGuinness and Mark Quigley available tonight and so could well make changes despite the run of strong results.
“The lads who have come in have done well so we’ll see on the night, but if there are changes then there are changes then I know that the experience gained by some of our younger players, in particular, over the last few weeks will stand to them later on in the season.”
Prior to their encounters with Sligo, Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic take each other on this evening with the visitors looking to pick up where they left off in their last league game, the remarkable defeat of Shamrock Rovers in Richmond Park.
The hosts are without Ryan Brennan, Paul Crowley and long-term absentee Cathal Brady as they try to maintain their strong start to the season while Liam Buckley, who has everyone bar Aidan Price available to him, seems likely to stick with much the same line-up that put five past the champions.
Shelbourne host Bray Wanderers without the two players – Stephen Hurley and Lorcan Fitzgerald – who picked up serious injuries in the midweek League Cup encounter between the sides, with both set to be sidelined for a couple of months. Wanderers, meanwhile, will be missing Shane O’Connor and Stephen Brennan, but Colm Tresson comes into the reckoning after injury while Dane Massey returns from suspension.
Cork City have Kalen Spillane available as Tommy Dunne’s side makes it latest bid for a first league win of the season, but Stephen Mulcahy, Kevin Murray and Neal Horgan are still sidelined while Roddy Collins must manage without Alan Byrne (dislocated shoulder) and Aidan Collins faces a late fitness test.
In the night’s other top-flight game Bohemians head to Belfield Park to take on UCD without the suspended Dave Scully. The students are missing Mick Leahy, Ger Barron and Chris Mulhall.
