League Preview: Derry City -v- Drogheda United

DERRY CITY

Derry City will look to return to winning ways and close in on securing European football for 2018 when they take on bottom-of-the-table Drogheda United on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Candystripes looked to be on course for that target with a run of four wins in five league games in July, along with a victory over Shamrock Rovers in their first game in August.

However, since then, Derry have lost three league games in a row to Dundalk, Galway and Bray, scoring just once and conceding 11 times, along with losing to Dundalk in the FAI Cup.

In those four games, Derry have picked up their biggest defeats of the season, losing 4-0 to Dundalk, twice, once in the league and once in the FAI Cup, before losing 5-0 to Bray Wanderers at Maginn Park last week.

Three of the four teams left in the FAI Cup are the top three teams in the league – Cork City, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers.

If one of those sides are to win the cup, and not Limerick, who are currently seventh in the league, eight points behind Derry, then a fourth place finish would be enough to secure a European spot for next season.

However, Derry’s drop off in form means that both Bray and Bohemians are breathing down their necks, with the Seagulls just a point behind Derry and Bohs’ three points behind Kenny Shiels side.

A win for Derry against Drogheda would see them close the gap to third-placed Shamrock Rovers to just one point with four games left to play.

DROGHEDA UNITED

Drogheda United travel to Buncrana to face Derry City on Friday night knowing that anything other than a win will see them relegated back to the First Division.

The Boynesiders’ winless league run extended to 18 games with a 3-0 defeat to Dundalk last week despite an improved performance which pleased manager Pete Mahon.

“I was quite pleased with the performance. We started the game very well and could’ve scored a couple of goals in the first-half with some better finishing and luck," Mahon told the club’s website.

“We’ve struggled to score past Dundalk this season but I can’t criticise the players, they kept going until the end."

With Drogheda 14 points from safety with just five games to play, Mahon is already looking to 2018, believing his side will be in a good position if they “can keep the nucleus of that team here for next season.”

Mahon was shocked at Derry’s 5-0 hammering by Bray Wanderers last week but stressed that he knows the quality of the side that beat his side 4-0 at the same venue earlier this season.

“I was really shocked at the result. I know Derry aren’t in the best of form at the minute but I never expected that," Mahon said.

“They were my tip for the title at the start of the season and everything seemed to be going so well before Ryan McBride’s tragic passing.

“We know the quality that they have and they’ve beaten us up there before but if we match the performance from last week, I’ll be happy.”

Drogheda will be without suspended forwards Chris Mulhall and Thomas Byrne. Meanwhile, Stephen Dunne joins Gavin Brennan, Jake Hyland and Sean Russell on Drogheda’s injury list.

Referee: John McLoughlin.

MATCH STATS

Derry City won the first game between these sides this season, running out comfortable 4-0 winners at Maginn Park in March.

The second game between these sides this season ended in a 0-0 draw at United Park in May, in what was the second of three consecutive scoreless league draws for the Boynesiders.

While they have struggled to find the net recently, Derry have scored 43 goals in 28 games this season. Meanwhile, Drogheda have managed just 18 goals in the same number of games.

BETTING

Derry City 1/3; Draw 4/1; Drogheda United 8/1.

PREDICTION

Derry City 1-1 Drogheda United

Derry City

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.

Drogheda United

Injured: Gavin Brennan, Stephen Dunne, Jake Hyland, Sean Russell.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Chris Mulhall, Thomas Byrne.