Ben Doherty - 'Games between Derry City and Bohemians are always memorable'

Ben Doherty insists that Derry City know what they are facing when they head to Dalymount Park tonight, well aware that the Bohemians players could be out to prove a point.

The club parted ways with Declan Devine earlier this week after just four games, with Derek Pender taking charge until a new full-time manager is appointed.

Bohs are hoping to avoid a third successive defeat, and with teams usually bouncing back well after the departure of a manager, Dalymount Park could well be an intimidating venue come Friday.

“I've been in that position where managers have changed,” Doherty acknowledged. “It's a clean slate. Players who haven't been on the team might see it as an opportunity to stake a claim of why they should be playing for this manager so that you get a lift from them. And then the players that are on the team might just get a wee bit of confidence from a manager coming in.

“We know what we're getting when we go down there. But we have to work on our own game and we have to go and take the game to them if we want to continue this good start to the league. And I think that's the way we have to go about it.”

Dalymount Park has been a good ground to visit for Derry City in recent years, having lost just once there in their past 15 visits in all competitions, going back to 2015.

In that time, the Candystripes have picked up 10 wins, making Dalymount in a sense a home away from home. But even with that record, Doherty is expecting a real test.

“Even from the first time I was at the club, Bohs have always been a team that Derry have had tough games against,” he said.

“Even when I wasn't there, there were games I watched Derry against Bohs and they were always thrillers. I think it was a few late goals from Cameron McJannet one year, and then there was a late goal for Georgie Kelly at Bohs down there.

“They've always been good games. I don't know what it is. It always seems that the Bohs and Derry games are always good, especially down at Dalymount.

It's another one that we're relishing to go down there and hopefully get a positive result.

We probably should have won down there last year in the 2-2, but it didn't go our way, so hopefully this year we can go down there and stamp our authority. No matter what's going on down the road, it's not going to change. We still have to go down there and treat it as it's going to be a battle and it's going to be a tough place to go for us.”

The Hoban effect

Doherty, like most Derry City supporters, has been wowed by the impact that Pat Hoban has made since arriving at the club. The former Dundalk striker has scored six goals in his first five games of the season, matching a record held by Owen Da Gama since 1987. His goals aside, Doherty admits he has been pleasantly surprised by the impact Hiban has also had on his new team mates.

“That's the first thing, he's a gentleman off the pitch,” he stated. “When he first came on, he came around all the lads. I didn't know him personally and it wasn't the type of personality that I expected to be first.

Derry City are unbeaten in their last six visits to Dalymount Park. (Photos: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE)

"So, I was pleasantly surprised. But no, his professionalism and his attitude towards the game and still learning the game and learning how other people play to give himself the best opportunity to score goals and to provide for the team is second to none. Look, he's hit the ground running and that's what we needed from him when he came into the club. So long may it continue for us and long may he continue banging them in.”

Only Shelbourne have enjoyed a better start to the new season than Derry City, and while champions Shamrock Rovers have yet to win a game, the versatile defender believes it is much too soon to be analysing the league table.

“No-one's looking at the table,” he insisted. “I'm sure if you ask Shamrock Rovers or Stephen Bradley, they're definitely not looking at the table. There's more than just us in it. Shelbourne have started really well and Waterford have started well.

“It's about us staying as close as we can to the top and just putting on good performances.

If we want to do that, we're going to have to go down to Dalymount now on Friday night and get a good result.”