Derry City hoping to continue their momentum when they take on Limerick tomorrow
Derry City will host Limerick at Maginn Park on Sunday (kick off 5pm), hoping to maintain third place in the Premier Division.
Ronan Curtis, dropped for the victory over Finn Harps for disciplinary reasons, is set to return to the squad, with Kenny Shiels insisting the incident is now history.
Ronan is a good lad and it’s up to me to manage him in a way in which we get the best out of him,” he explained. “He has been brilliant, he has been our best player this season and no-one can say he’s not. He’s been in brilliant form. But it’s history now.
“It wasn’t a major indiscipline, but it was one which breaches what we do, and I have to make sure what’s best for Ronan as well. I think he will have learned from this. He has been our best player and to leave him out ahead of a big match was brave I have to say it was brave. He’s been our best players but we have to make sure that there is a structure in place where young players are going to fulfil their maximum potential. I have to guide the boy, and I will do. He’s a great player and he will get better and better. I do what’s best for the boys and what’s best for the development of the club.”
Victory over Limerick will mean three successive victories for Derry for the first time since March, and with a game against Shamrock Rovers to follow, the points are a must if City are to lead the race for Europa league qualification.
“We’ve won three of our last four games and I think our form has been good,” Shiels continued. “We’ve scored in our last nine games and we will be up for this game again. We will be working on our preparations for this game, looking for opportunities so we can get a result.
“You can’t think about things too early. The young lads have shown tremendous courage in bringing us through this campaign. To be in third position is a remarkable achievement and to be only nine points behind Dundalk is incredible. I think the boys have to be proud of themselves. We haven’t achieved anything yet but we want to get into that European spot and we want to win this game to consolidate third place. It will be tough because Limerick are a good team as well.”