Derry City look for revenge in Galway tonight
Candystripes visit Eamon Deacy Park for the first time since 2017
Galway United vs. Derry City
Tonight, 7:45pm
The League of Ireland’s best attack meets the League of Ireland’s best defence when Derry City travel to Galway United hoping to continue their recent revival.
With a first away win and successive victories now on the board after last week’s win at Waterford, Ruaidhri Higgins takes his players to Eamon Deacy Park hoping to stay in touch at the top ahead of Monday’s game with league leaders Shelbourne.
This is Derry City’s first visit to Galway since the 2017 season and Higgins is in no doubt of the size of the task which awaits his team, against an opponent that has conceded just seven goals all season.
“We had a good away win last week,” he said. “We've responded really well from the Shamrock Rovers game, and we want that to continue now on Friday. If you look at Galway's last couple, they've drawn in Tallaght and they've beaten Shelbourne, so they're a very, very good side. And as I said, the league is full of good sides, so we'll respect them and give them the respect they deserve, but we want to go down there and win.”
Galway won 1-0 at the Brandywell back in March, a real low point in City’s season, but Higgins believes his players have shown their resiliency after every setback.
“I think we all accept that it was below par, but since that, we've improved,” he continued. “We've won three of our last five, so our form has definitely improved, and we want to keep that going.”
“They have a lot of experience. They're really well drilled. They're compact and they've got a few players that can hurt you at the top end of the pitch as well. You look at all their games, they've been extremely tight and I don't expect this to be any different.”
Daniel Kelly was pivotal in last week’s win at Waterford, and Higgins is hoping that can help the former Dundalk winger to kick on after a difficult start to life at his new club.
“He was a real threat when he came on, getting in at the back post for the penalty,” he reflected. “He's got a knack of that, he's done it for years. And then the bit of play for the second goal was a real indication- It's what he can produce, and what he's produced for quite a long time, so that'll be great for him and he probably needed it. But you can see a spring in his step this week. There's a freshness about him. And hopefully he can continue that form.”
‘Nobody hurts more than him’
There is still no sign of a return to action for club captain Patrick McEleney, who visited specialists in Santry last week as he fights his way back from a continuous injury nightmare.
“It's a tricky one,” Higgins explained. “It's not a common injury at all, but he's doing all that he can. Nobody hurts more than him when he's not available to the team. He loves his club. He puts the team first and he's really, really selfless and it's not often that you get a player with that talent who is so team-orientated. He's all about the team.
“That's why he's the captain. And as I said, no one hurts more than him when he's not available, but I can assure you that any time he picks something up, that he does everything in his power to get back at the quickest possible time. And this will be the same again. But timeframes, I'm not too sure at the minute.”
Higgins’ full focus is on Derry City’s success in Galway tomorrow night, but he is also hoping that the city can be celebrating a double triumph this weekend, with his old team mate Kevin Deery hoping to guide Institute back to the Irish Premier League.
“It would be absolutely brilliant,” he agreed. “Kevin and Mo and the players and the staff there have done remarkably well. Outstanding. When you look at what he has to come up against; I played with Kevin and I know him, he's got a real drive about him, but he's also very clever on the game and he certainly knows what he's doing and I'm absolutely delighted for him.
“He missed out, I think, a couple of times, so hopefully now. He can do it. And to be honest, I think if you asked the board at ‘Stute a realistic target at the start of the season, it would have been to consolidate and get ready for next season, but what they've done there, I think, is absolutely outstanding, and fair play to them, and I hope they can go and get the job done.”