Derry City -v- Bluebell United

• Jamie Mahon
• Tue, Aug 27 2013




DERRY CITY

Derry City will be looking for a massive improvement in performance as they take on Bluebell Celtic in their FAI Cup third round replay at the Brandywell on Tuesday evening (K.O.7.45pm).

 

The Candystripes produced a lacklustre performance on Friday evening and can count themselves lucky they have an opportunity to redeem themselves against their Leinster Senior League opponents.

 

They will have to do so without their captain Kevin Deery and centre half Stewart Greacen who both look likely to miss the rest of the season with knee injuries. Patrick McEleney and Sean Houston are also doubtful.

 

Barry Molloy spoke out about Fridays game and said, "Everyone's disappointed from the players to the management. It's not good enough for Derry City to be held at home against a team like that but fair play to Bluebell, they did really well, worked their socks off and deserve their replay.

 

"The anger is there now because this has been going on for a few weeks and we're working hard to try and put it right. We're very fortunate that we have another home tie now on Tuesday because I think if we had to go down there on Tuesday, we'd be under a lot of pressure, but they deserve to be in the cup."

 

Declan Devine commented, "It just wasn't our night on Friday but when we kick off on Tuesday we have to make sure we start at a higher tempo and we start with a bit more belief in ourselves and we have a bit more conviction about ourselves. We've got another chance and I'm confident that if we give anywhere near our best we'll push on."

 

BLUEBELL UTD

Bluebell Utd will be in buoyant mood after going so close and Friday and will be confident that they can repeat their performance and seal a place in the quarter finals away to Sligo Rovers when they face Derry on Tuesday.

 

The non league side produced a tremendous performance on Friday full of work, skill and determination and came within a whisker of dumping the defending champions out of the competition.

 

Their defence in particular put in a heroic shift with Peter Sherlock in particular looking like he belongs at a higher level. Veteran striker Trevor Molloy, deployed wide on the right also showed he hasn't lost much of his ability, putting in a shift that rolled back the years.

 

Captain Glen Madden said, "We came up on Friday thinking we would get a result, we didn't just come up for a night out which some people were saying. We did our usual stuff plus a bit extra on top of that. We knew they'd be fitter than us because we have only played one league game but Andy, the gaffer, got his tactics right and we were more than happy."

 

Manager Andy Noonan commented, "We switched the game to the Brandywell because for some reason it doesn't seem to click for them at home at the moment. We showed the benchmark on Friday and if we can hit that mark again on Tuesday, anything can happen."

 

MATCH STATS

Peter Sherlock of Bluebell was the FAI man of the match in Friday's draw.

 

Derry's Simon Madden will face his older brother Glen.

 

Derry City haven't won in their last six games at the Brandywell.

 

 

BETTING

Derry City 1/6,  Draw 6/1,  Bluebell Utd 11/1.

 

PREDICTION

Derry City 3 vs Bluebell Utd 0. Derry should learn from the mistakes of the first game and go through comfortably.

 

Derry City

Injured: Kevin Deery (knee), Stewart Greacen (knee).
Suspended: None.

 

Bluebell United

Injured: None.
Suspended: None.