U.C.D v Derry City, Belfield Bowl, 7.45pm
City will look to repeat their recent League win at the Belfield Bowl when they travel to the south Dublin venue tomorrow night, with the prize a place in the last eight of this season’s FAI Cup. After a win and a draw in the previous two games, Declan Devine will be hoping that his side can defeat the students and progress to the next stage.
In the two previous occasions both games were very tight affairs with a 0-0 draw in the brandywell in March and a single goal scored by Stephen Mclaughlin was all that separated the two sides at the U.C.D Bowl in July.
This will be the Candystripes’ third game in a gruelling 7 days. Having picked up all three points at home to Bohemians last Friday they followed that up with a trip to Bray on Monday evening where they played out A 0-0 draw. Despite their position in the table, Declan Devine and his side know that a very difficult task lies ahead and that they will need to be at their very best if they are to progress to the next round of the Cup.
Speaking ahead of this game Declan Devine said. “From our own point of view the confidence in the squad at the minute is very high, We have kept two clean sheets in the last two games and came away with four points out of six from two difficult ties. We know that we will need to bring that confidence to the game on Friday as UCD have been on a bit of a run of good form themselves of late. The last time we played them in UCD I felt we were very fortunate to come away with three points and we know that Fridays game will be equally as tough.”
“It’s been a while since Derry had a good run in the cup and defeats to the likes of Wexford Youths are still fresh in the mind of most of this squad. I feel that this could be the year where a good run is possible and the knowledge that if we win this game we will be just two games away from a final day in the Aviva Stadium is all the motivation the side need.”
Derry City will be without the services of Rory Patterson (Hamstring) and Mark Farren(Calf) is a doubt while Conor Murphy is cup tied having played for Monaghan United in the last round.
