Derry City will travel to Oriel Park later this evening to take on reigning champions Dundalk in their chase for a European place next season. The Candystripes currently sit in fourth place, two points behind Bray Wanderers who sit in third, and fou
Derry City will travel to Oriel Park later this evening to take on reigning champions Dundalk in their chase for a European place next season.
The Candystripes currently sit in fourth place, two points behind Bray Wanderers who sit in third, and four points behind Dundalk in second place.
Kenny Shiels already has one win over Stephen Kenny this campaign, a 3-1 win back in March and he expects his players to give Dundalk a tough game tonight after a convincing win against Shamrock Rovers last Friday.
“Yeah I thought it was a very good win,” Shiels said. “One that we had to win to keep ourselves in the fourth position and we must try to cement some stability in our league placing’s and we’re getting there.
“We had a lot of praise and a lot of criticism and that’s what comes with football but I’m expecting the boys to go and give a good show,” he added.
Dundalk has put together back-to-back wins’ in their last two leagues game and they will be looking to make it three wins in succession for only the second time this season.
However, the Candystripes manager isn’t fazed by Dundalk’s form and wants to leave County Louth with the three points.
“Well they’re always a threat, Dundalk has a lot of quality and we must match that in performance and I’m sure if we can match their performance we’ve got a chance.
“We go there in a positive frame of mind and all we are thinking about is to win the game.
“If we can get a performance similar to Friday night we’ve got a chance,” Shiels explained.
Shiels admitted that he is looking to strengthen the squad with experience at the end of June and he is in a number of discussions with different players.
“I’m looking for players in their mid-twenties and I’ve been struggling, the Irish league is just not possible.
“I’m looking in Scotland and in Europe but it’s very, very difficult to get the players in on the budget.
“So for that, it means your working harder to get ones that might come and I’m in a good few discussions with players at the moment that I know and they know me and I’m hopeful and I’m positive about it.
“But if they don’t come in they don’t come in and we work with what we have and give the young boys even more experience.”
