League Preview: Derry City -v- Shamrock Rovers

DERRY CITY

A win for the Candystripes in this clash with Shamrock Rovers would send them to the summit of the SSE Airtricity League table, for 24 hours at least as with Dundalk are not scheduled to play until Saturday night when they take on Longford Town at the City Calling Stadium.

City will look to continue their perfect home start to the season, having picked up two wins out of two matches against Cork City and Galway United at the Brandywell.

Having picked up 4 points from 6 against title Cork and Dundalk, Derry will look to add another impressive result to their 2016 résumé against the team breathing down their necks in 3rd place.

They will be buoyant in light of their excellent result and performance against champions Dundalk, where they earned a draw with a second half Barry McNamee goal.

This promises to be a closely-fought encounter for Kenny Shiels’ men. With 13 goals, his side have been the most prolific in the league so far this season, while their Dublin opponents boast the tightest defence.

While the season is still in its infancy, City have been notable by their tendency to score late goals thus far, and this trend suggests that they are a team with the energy and resilience to trouble any in the country.  Since their opening day defeat to Finn Harps, the Foylesiders have markedly improved their level of performance, suggesting that this could be one of their best showings in recent years.

SHAMROCK ROVERS

Shamrock Rovers will look to take their however temporary place at the summit of the table with a win in Derry tonight, as second play third. Rovers made a return to winning ways against Galway United last week after suffering their first defeat of the season at home to St Patrick’s Athletic, and a victory for the Hoops here will be their most impressive so far this season.

Goals from Brandon Miele and Trevor Clarke were enough to secure all three points in Tallaght last week, with the former bagging his second goal of the season in a comfortable 2-0 victory. Miele, Gary McCabe and Danny North have now notched up 6 goals in 5 games between them, and this spread of goals will encourage Rovers fans that their side can be a force this season.

More impressively, Rovers have notched up 4 clean sheets in their first 5 league games, but they will have their work cut out tonight against the free-scoring Derry City. The Hoops were defensively very strong last season, conceding just 27 goals in 33 games, and they will seek to consolidate their reputation for meanness tonight and in the coming months.

Rovers will be looking to put pressure on Dundalk, in the knowledge that any team who can better their results this season is likely to end the season as champions. With tough fixtures against Bohs, Dundalk and Cork coming up for the Tallaght side, the next four fixtures, starting tonight, will tell us a lot about where Pat Fenlon’s side stand among the contenders.

Referee: David McKeon

MATCH STATS

Rovers are looking to win their first three away games since 1972-73.

10 of the last 11 times these teams have met in the Brandywell there has been no more than one goal.

Pat Fenlon experienced his shortest managerial club tenure with tonight’s opponents, managing Derry for five months in 2007.

BETTING

Derry 23/10, Draw 21/10, Rovers 5/4

PREDICTION

Derry City 0-1 Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: Dean Clarke, Gary Shaw, Luke Byrne, Trevor Clarke

Doubtful: Stephen McPhail

Suspended: None

Derry City

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: Unknown.