SOCCER: AIRTRICITY LEAGUE:WITH THE top two, St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers, not meeting until Sunday, the chasing pack get a chance to narrow the gap in the title race this evening when Sligo Rovers will be aiming to maintain a strong recent run of form in Bray Wanderers, and Derry City will be looking to getting back to winning ways against Drogheda United at United Park.
Derry were boosted yesterday by the news that young left back Daniel Lafferty has signed a one-year contract extension at the club while Stephen Kenny strongly suggested winger James McClean would not be allowed to leave for England while the club is still in contention for a place in Europe or even the title.
If even the lesser target is to be achieved, though, then the Northerners need to get their challenge back in gear with a recent record of one defeat in 10 league outings disguising fact they have taken just seven points from their last five matches.
Kenny describes Lafferty’s performances this season, during which he has played all but one game and scored five goals on the road, as “tremendous” and admits there has been “a fair bit of interest” in McClean. However, he insists the club is focused on trying to achieve great things with the team it has built with the likes of the two home-grown 22-year-olds.
“It wouldn’t make much sense for us to sell the player midway through the season when we’re still in contention for Europe,” he says in relation to McClean, who has attracted interested from Blackpool, Burnley and Reading.
“And no team has ever won the title the year after they were first division champions and we’re still in contention to do that so I would have thought if we’re going to sell a player it would be in October rather than July.”
If they are going to stay in contention for the title, though, Derry could do with improving on the 2-2 draw they managed at tonight’s venue in March. “We’ll certainly be trying to win,” Kenny says, “but no team has a divine right to expect three points. They’ve improved since then, particularly at home where it’s very tight.”
Derry are without Barry Molloy and Kevin Deery while Drogheda have Mark O’Brien back from suspension but will again be without Jack Flynn.
Having tightened things up considerably at the top by beating champions Shamrock Rovers last Friday, Sligo head for the Carlisle Grounds with everyone bar Iarthlaight Davoren available.
Bray, who are seeking to end something of a slump, have the usual list of long-term injury problems while Joe Kendrick is suspended but Adam Mitchell returns having served a one-match ban.
Two of the top flight’s stronger performers of late, Dundalk and Bohemians, meet at Oriel Park where the latter will be at virtually full strength thanks to the recent return of striker Anto Flood.
Darius Kierans will be in charge of the hosts as Ian Foster is in England as part of his pro-licence course and the hosts will again be missing Eoghan Osbourne and Stephen McDonnell while Colin Hawkins and Jason Byrne (both hamstring) are doubts.
At Terryland Park Galway United will try to end a 14-game losing streak this evening when they take on a UCD side that picked up its first point in eight games by drawing with Derry last Friday. Galwaay manager Seán Connor is without Johnny Keane, Joseph Yoffe, Shane Keogh and, most likely Shaun Maher for a game he describes as “massive” while UCD have Seán Harding suspended and Robbie Creevy still out injured.
