PREVIEW: Derry City vs Finn Harps

A great atmosphere will be expected in the Brandywell tonight as the Northwest’s two big rivals square up for bragging rights. Both teams will be looking to build upon successful opening nights in the league, Finn Harps coming into the game having won their opener with Cobh Ramblers 2-1. Derry however will have to re-group after a miserable Setanta cup defeat to Linfield earlier in the week.

The last time these two teams met on league duty was in 2005, a season most Harps fans may be trying to forget. Derry won all three clashes between the sides on their way to finishing second in the league that year while Harps were relegated. They did however meet last year in the FAI Cup with Derry running out victorious on that occasion too.

Despite Harps’ absence from the top flight of Irish football, they will be no strangers to Derry City as I count no less than 8 of Harps current squad to have spent time as part of the Derry set-up. The most notable of these would be Gary Beckett and it will be eagerly awaited to see if his name makes it onto the team sheet for this clash in place of the injured Stephen Parkhouse. Many Derry fans may feel that Beckett slipped through the net sometime after Robertson left but before Stephen Kenny returned and his presence tonight would give a nervous 90 minutes to the Brandywell faithful.

As well as Parkhouse, who has damaged his medial ligament, Finn Harps may have to cope without the services of Shaun Williams (ankle) and Jonathon Minnock who is still suffering from an achilles problem. However the name you’ll hear over every pre-match pint is that of Conor Gethins, last years top goal scorer in the first division with over 20 goals. All eyes could be on the Lifford man who will be looking to add to his tally this season.

Kenny will have selection problems of his own. Having watched Derry v Linfield earlier in the week it is obvious that Kenny has a very unsettled defensive line and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some changes in a rearguard that has lost 5 goals in their opening two games. However, custodian Quigley is out having picked up a nasty facial injury in last Fridays league opener with UCD, Sean Hargan (ankle) and Mark McCrystal (metatarsal) are also out longer term.

Kenny rested players for the clash with Linfield on Monday you could expect Molloy, McCourt and McGlynn to return to the starting line-up but Kenny is not short of options or competition for these positions. McGinn, Morrison, Martyn, Higgins and the versatile McHugh will all be vying for a berth. Sammon and Farren are likely to get the nod up-front.

Harps manager Paul Hegarty will be making a return to familiar territory. The passionate midfielder was a committed player here and is also the former right hand man for Stephen Kenny in his last spell at Derry before Dunfermline came calling to break up a happy home. Under Kenny, Hegarty is sure to have learnt a trick or two and no-one can doubt he has earned a credible name in management with the success last year bringing Harps back to the Eircom Premier. Has the student become the master?