League Preview: Derry City -v- Dundalk

DERRY CITY

Derry City host Europa League chasing Dundalk at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Monday evening (kick-off at 5.45pm).

The Candystripes head into the Monday evening encounter against Dundalk having not played a league game since October 2^nd.

Derry were due to take on Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday evening, but the game was called due to a positive Covid-19 test in the Shamrock Rovers squad.

“As I said last week, matches against the likes of Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk are the reason we’re in this game,” Derry boss Declan Devine told his club’s media team.

“They’re the benchmark for the league and set the standard we want to reach consistently.

“Dundalk have done brilliantly in the Europa League and are now getting their rewards with some huge games.

“From our point however, we have to try to get as many points from these last four matches as we can and see where that takes us.

“We have to focus on what we can control and not get carried away with anything else.”

In terms of team news for Derry, Ally Gilchrist are both ruled out with injury. Conor McCormack also misses out with suspension.

DUNDALK

Dundalk will be hoping to get back to winning ways on Monday evening when they travel to take on Derry City.

The Lilywhites come into the game after a scoreless draw on Friday evening at home to Bohemians.

“Frustration is the best word you would use to describe the night for us,” first-team coach Shane Keegan told his club’s media team.

“Bohemians were very organised, they know what they are good at and I suppose they did it well. They are good on the counter-attack, that is for sure.

“They are quite direct. They played very differently last night than when I watched them last Friday night. I thought they would come and play a bit more like they did last week.

“I felt that maybe they thought they could go and win the league but they were happy enough with the point and we aren’t overly happy with it so they got what they wanted.”

But despite their frustration – Keegan is hopeful that Dundalk can get the three points in Derry on Monday evening.

“We were frustrated on Friday, but we can’t dwell on it and going into last Tuesday we said we would be happy with seven points from nine and we are still on course for that.

“We have to go and deliver a good performance on Monday in Derry and we are capable of that.

“We want to go there and get three points to round off a successful week for us going into Molde on Thursday.”

In terms of team news for Dundalk, Nathan Oduwa and Daniel Kelly are both rated as doubts, while Dane Massey misses out.

Referee: Rob Harvey.

MATCH STATS

Derry City have not played a competitive league game since the 2^nd of October when they saw off Waterford two-nil at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Dundalk are unbeaten in their previous seven games against Derry City – with their last defeat against the Candystripes coming in March 2017.

Filippo Giovagnoli’s charges have recorded three clean sheets on the spin – with clean sheets coming against Bohemians, Finn Harps and Cork City.

BETTING

Derry City 2/1; Draw 11/5; Dundalk 6/5.

PREDICTION

Derry City 1 - 3 Dundalk

Derry City

Injured: Ally Gilchrist, Joe Thomson.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Conor McCormack.

Dundalk

Injured: Dane Massey.

Doubtful: Nathan Oduwa, Daniel Kelly.

Suspended: None.