CityView Vol-40 No-20 - Derry City vs Sligo Rovers - Monday 14th October

DERRY CITY F.C. v SLIGO ROVERS F.C. LEAGUE OF IRELAND MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION MONDAY 14th OCTOBER 2024 | 7.15pm Vol. 40 - No. 20

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Welcome to...

SLIGO ROVERS F.C.

DERRY CITY FOOTBALL CLUB Formed:

1928

Ground:

Brandywell Stadium

Manager:

Ruaidhrí Higgins

Asst Manager:

Paul Hegarty

Coach:

Conor Loughrey

Fitness Coach:

Kevin McCreadie

GK Coach:

Michael Dougherty

Development:

Mark McChrystal

Perfor Analyst:

Seamus McCallion

Opp Analyst:

Gerard Boyle

Physio:

Michael Hegarty

Equipment:

Gerry Sheppard

Kit Man:

Gavin Doherty

Kit Man:

Philip Johnson

Doctor:

Dr. Noel Boyle

CITYVIEW is the Official Match Day Programme of Derry City FC. The views expressed are, however, not necessarily those of the Board Of Directors, or indeed the Programme Committee. Design and Layout by Andrew Cassidy. Photographs courtesy of Maiden City Images, Event Images unless otherwise stated. Cover image

by Ramsey Cardy. Printing by City Print, Springtown Industrial Estate. Please support all of our sponsors. For queries about CityView contact andrew@derrycityfc.net

HONOURS:

League of Ireland Premier Division: 1988–89, 1996–97 FAI Cup: 1988–89, 1994–95, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2022 League of Ireland Cup: 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2018 League of Ireland First Division: 1986–87, 2010 League of Ireland First Division Shield: 1985–86 Irish Football League: 1964–65 IFA Cup: 1948–49, 1953–54, 1963–64

Welcome back to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium where tonight we’re welcoming Sligo Rovers back for the last time this season, and our second last home game.

We also welcome back John Russell, his staff and players, and the officials and supporters from Sligo who have travelled up this evening for the North West derby.

Tonight we play the last of our games in hand, and only 3 points will leave us top of the table going into the last 3 games.

Fright night didn’t go to plan and we only came away with a draw, but it’s not the end of the world. We could afford one draw from the last 5 games, but we’ve now played that card too early, so it’s all left to do from here!

Tonight could be the toughest test of the remaining games.

We haven’t beaten Sligo this

season. In fact, we haven’t beaten Sligo since July 2023 thanks to a 95th minute Will Patching penalty, just minutes after Ben Doherty missed a penalty!

Only 2 Derry City wins have come from the last 10 games against Sligo!

Should we get three points tonight though, we go top on goal difference and three wins from the last three games will see us win the league. Any more draws or losses means we’re relying on results elsewhere. So it really is in our own hands. Four wins and we win the league!

TONIGHT’S MATCH OFFICIALS: Referee: PAUL NORTON

Assistant 1: Emmett Dynan |Assistant 2: Darren Corcoran Fourth Official: Alan Patchell

TONIGHT’S MATCH SPONSOR: CABLE AND ACCESSORIES 6 Balliniska business park Springtown IND. EST., BT48 0LY Phone: (028) 71360110

www.cableandaccessories.co.uk PLEASE SUPPORT ALL OUR SPONSORS

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MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGER

We’re extending a warm welcome to the Brandywell tonight to John Russell and the players, staff and supporters of Sligo Rovers ahead of our penultimate home game of the season.

Apologies that it’s one of those back-to-back programmes that had to be written before Friday’s match, so I’m a bit limited in context this tiime.

The one thing I do know is that regardless of Friday night, Sligo are coming here with ambitions of their own and they will be a real handful.

season has drawn to a close.

Every team has gone through challenging times over the course of the season and we’ve been no different. People, including ourselves, feel the frustration when that happens and that’s very much part of the game.

On the flip side, our support has remained strong and the fact that the FAI posted on Tuesday nighteight hours after the cup final tickets went on sale- that over 20,000 had already been sold, tells its own story.

They hit a good run of form midseason and recorded some fantastic results and we’ve seen for ourselves that they’re a very good side.

On Thursday last a couple of us paid a visit to one of our best known and much-loved supporters, John Pio O’Doherty who hasn’t been at the Brandywell recently due to some health issues.

The stakes are high for sure but as I’ve continually said all year, it’s very much one game at a time for us.

He’s a truly amazing person is John Pio and he epitomises everything good about our football club.

What I do want to talk about however is the brilliant support that we’ve continued to receive as the

He spends agess pinning his flags and scarves to the fence at home games and I loved the fact that he spreads them out on the steps of the altar before mass every Sunday.

His family were keen to show us around the house- John’s bedroom and bathroom in particular which are adorned with Derry City memorabilia.

Every stitch he wears, right down to socks and trainers are all Derry City and it is amazing, and a real privilege to see what our football club can mean to one person.

Every memory I have as a play-

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er and a manager here, John Pio was there for them all, just as he was long before I arrived.

Not many people will know this but before we left for Dublin ahead of the 2022 cup final, John gave our final team talk in the centre of the pitch- and he didn’t miss anyone he thought was slacking!

He was presented with a shirt signed by all the players on Thursday and we made sure he knows we’re all looking forward to seeing him back here as soon as possible.

Enjoy the game!

Ruaidhrí Higgins, Manager

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DERRY CITY VS EVERTON 1992 Three weeks after the visit of Manchester City to the Brandywell it was the turn of Howard Kendall’s Everton for a friendly on Thursday 13th February 1992. There was another FA Cup weekend coming up but Everton had already been knocked out of the competition by Chelsea.

On a bitterly cold night the 3,000 supporters who had turned up were to be treated to a much better spectacle than witnessed at the Manchester City game in what turned out to be a pulsating and thrilling scoreless draw.

The visitors controlled the opening twenty minutes but were over elaborate in front of goal with their £2 millionpound forward Tony Cottee a culprit. For Derry, Gregory Kearney revelled in the occasion combining well with his full back John Coady. Kearney was forced off injured on

By Francie McCauley the half hour when having nutmegged opposition full back Johnson he was the victim of an over robust challenge from Ebbrell.

A Hinchcliffe drive cannoned off Dermot O’Neill’s crossbar and Warzycha and Cottee spurned chances while Southall had to block a strong shot from Donal O’Brien.

The game burst into life after the interval with Derry putting on a slick second half performance.

Everton substitute Barlow had a sensational miss just before the hour mark lifting the ball over the bar from five yards. Not long after the same player had a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside.

City’s Marty Mc Cann came on for Paul Carlyle and his skilful distribution was a delight to watch and he regularly threatened the visitors with his cross-field passes. With ten minutes remaining on the clock Derry went close to snatching a winner but O’Brien had to watch his effort go narrowly wide of The Toffees goal.

Everton were to finish the season in twelfth position in the First Division.

The match programme, 70p for 24 pages (there were now eight of adverts), showed little change in the way of content to that of three weeks previously.

There was a Manager’s Message and a Chairman’s Welcome. There was a Welcome to Tonight’s Visitors along with four pages of pen pictures. We had a brief Fact File about ‘The Toffees’ and a connection with the Liverpool side in the shape of former Candystripes player manager Jimmy Hill.

The middle pages carried photos from the Manchester City game. ‘Have Fan – Will Travel’ was an interesting article on the difference in travel costs between a Derry supporter and one from Linfield during our Irish League days and between, again, a Derry fan and a Shamrock Rovers supporter now that we were in the League of Ireland.

The programme finished off with ‘Bits & Pieces’, a Half Time Quiz and the line ups.

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BETTER WITHOUT THE BALL I recently added to my collection of footballer’s autobiographies when I met Dermot Keely, our former Manager in the bar of the Mark Farren stand. The genial Dubliner was there to promote his book which has hit the shelves in time for the Festive Season. It has 295 pages with 17 chapters, a Foreword & an Epilogue. It makes an interesting read. Dermot was brought up in the north Dublin suburb of Santry along with his 5 siblings - an older brother & 4 sisters. Dermot’s father Peter spent 11 years with Shelbourne winning the league twice in 1947& 1953 but missing out twice on 2 FAI cup medals. Dermot however was certainly not a one man club as his story unfolds. His career started at Home Farm playing firstly at under 18 level. The club took over Drumcondra moving to Tolka Park. He made his debut in the 1973/74 season and in 1975 appeared in the FAI Cup Final against his father’s old club, Shelbourne with his brother winning the Trophy for the only time beating the Dundalk, Cork Celtic & St.Pats along the way. He turned professional and signed for St. Pats where he explained “it was probably the best craic I ever had.” At the same time he was doing a degree at UCD. He was made captain by Barry Bridges the Manager at the age of 22 ! Dermot believed

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By Sean McGillan

this post matured him and he said he was not afraid to express his views to anyone -player, manager or board manager. He then signed for Dundalk under the late & great Jim McLaughlin who he described as the best manager the League of Ireland has seen. The team settled in and became the first to win a double in 1978/79. In the subsequent European Cup they beat Linfield before they faced Celtic away in the first leg which they lost 3-2 The home match at Oriel Park attracted 19,000 and ended scoreless with the author claiming that Dundalk’s efforts that evening turned Danny McGrain’s beard white! Dermot went on to achieve success in 1983 as a player with Glentoran winning the Irish Cup, Gold Cup & Ulster Cup before returning to the South to play for UCD, Shamrock Rovers, Home Farm & Sligo Rovers. His successful

managerial career involved 3 of these clubs as well as Longford, Dundalk, Finn Harps, Athlone, Home Farm Everton, Shelbourne twice, Dublin City and Kildare County before he arrived at the Brandywell in July 2003 to take over from Kevin Mahon. His short lived sojourn with the Candystripes ended after 3 months ! He devotes Chapter 15 to his stay here saying the chance to take over a big club obviously turned his head ! An opinion piece taken from the Derry Journal at the time of his departure states “ Derry employed a master plasterer to do a bricklayer’s job and given the fact there was no reliable foundation in place from which Dermot could construct his wall and demonstrate his proven skills. It was an appointment that had the potential to blow up in his face”

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OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LEAGUES

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE

2024 LEAGUE TABLE: Pld Pts Shelbourne

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Shamrock Rvrs

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DERRY CITY

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Galway United

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50

St. Pat’s Athletic

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47

Sligo Rovers

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47

Waterford

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44

Bohemians

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37

Drogheda Utd

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33

Dundalk

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Last Round’s Results:

FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER Galway United 1-1 Dundalk SUNDAY 6th OCTOBER Shamrock Rvrs 2-0 Shelbourne FRIDAY 11th OCTOBER DERRY CITY 1-1 Bohemian Waterford 0-0 Drogheda United

NEXT HOME GAME:

This Round’s Fixtures: MONDAY 14th OCTOBER DERRY CITY v Sligo Rovers Bohemians v St Pat’s Athletic

Derry City vs Shelbourne Friday 1st November, 7.45pm

LANDMARKS: 300 GAMES FOR MCELENEY!

In recent games, we have seen a few milestones for both the club and some players.

Firstly, in the away against Drogheda United, Danny Mullen made his 50th Derry City appearance, becoming the 128th player to reach this milestone.

The first player to represent the club on 50 occasions was Kevin Mahon in Feb 1987, on the day when we were presented with the first division trophy. For the record, City, whose side included former Arsenal and England midfielder Alan Sunderland, won 5-1, with a hat trick from Owen Da Gama and a penalty from Alex Krstic, the other was an own goal.

A month later Noel King became the second player to reach a half century of games for the club, when we lost 1-2 away to Bohemians in the FAI cup, with both King and Kevin Mahon being sent off, while Owen Da Gama, who scored

our goal that day became the third player to play 50 games for City, when he netted a hat trick in a 5-0 home win over Limerick City in Nov 1987. It was Jim McLaughlin’s first game in charge of the side, with Felix Healy scoring our 50th league goal at Brandywell and John Cunningham with his first Derry City strike, being our other scorers on the day.

Earlier this season, Mark Connolly, Adam O’Reilly and Paul McMullan were the most recent players to make their 50th Derry City appearance In the cup semi final away to Bohemians, Patrick McEleney made his 300th appearance for the club, becoming just the 15th player to reach this milestone for the club.

The first player to reach 300 appearances Derry City was Paul Curran in April 1994, in the cup final against Sligo Rovers, which we unfortu-

nately lost 0-1. Peter Hutton was second player to reach this milestone in an away game against St Patrick’s Athletic in January 1995, when Peter Hutton scored an injury time equaliser, which was the club’s 700th goal and secured our 100th draw. Peter Hutton was the third player to reach 300 Derry City appearances, with Darren McCaul scoring a late winner for City.

‘Fats’ is the first player to reach 300 appearances for almost a decade, with the last player being Gerard Doherty in March 2013 and marked the occasion by keeping our 350th clean sheet in the premier division, in a 3-0 win.

For the record, the other players to have reached 300 games for the club are Paul Hegarty, Liam Coyle, Sean Hargan, Gary Beckett, Eamon Doherty, Eddie McCallion, Gareth McGlynn, Mark Farren, Kevin Deery and Barry Molloy.

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THE ‘GHOST’ FINAL 1971, days of trouble off the football field and days of annoyance on the field of play!

Two teams had made it through to the Irish Cup Final, Distillery and Derry City.

Despite repeated requests from both teams, the IFA in their infinite, (and surely unbiased?) wisdom insisted that the game should be played at Windsor Park thus meaning that, due to the political situation in the North at that time, both teams, and in particular Derry City, would have very few travelling support.

This intransigence by the IFA yet again achieved its purpose of placing another nail in the Derry City Senior Football coffin.

As the Derry Journal sports reporter, “Celt” wrote; “I hope the IFA officials whose decision it was that the match must be played at Windsor Park hid their heads in shame at this travesty of an Irish Cup Final.”

I can only think of one word to describe the atmosphere at that match and that word is, eerie! Spacious terraces remained empty or half empty as many fans decided that travelling was just not worth the risk. It must surely go down in history as the silent final, due to the lack

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By Sean Cassidy

The Derry City team defeated by Distillery in the 1971 Irish Cup Final Back from left: Jimmy Hill, Eamon McLaughlin, Raymond White, Noel Ward, Irwin McKibbon, Danny Hale and Dougie Wood.

Front from left: Declan McDowell, Jim ‘Chang’ Smith, John Duffy, George O’Halloran and John Rowland. Mascot: Gary Blake.

of noise throughout the game.

“Celt” again said that “it was like watching the match on television with the sound turned off”!

The only moments of noise were regrettably not long after the match had kicked off when two opposing factions began obscene chants directed at each other. This led in turn to missiles being thrown and fighting breaking out. Fortunately with the crowd being so small it did not take long for the police to separate the warring factions who turned out to be Distillery supporters and a Linfield lunatic fringe! The only consolation in this whole sorry affair was that the Derry City supporters were not involved.

The match itself, probably due to the lack of atmosphere, was a lack lustre affair only brightened by the emergence, on the Distillery

team, of their up and coming young star one Martin O’Neill.

Young O’Neill, who would go on to become a Nottingham Forest and Norther Ireland star scored two goals that day and with Jim Savage adding a third the Lisburn team, the better team on the day, ran out 3 – 0 winners.

Not a great centre piece in the IFA’s season and not a great spectacle for the fans or indeed the teams. To emphasise this I will conclude with the words of the Derry Journal Sports reporter “Celt” as a lasting (and lasting) reminder that this was indeed a “ghost” final, “When the jubilant Distillery players ran out onto the pitch to do a lap of honour with the Cup, they were greeted, not with the customary welcome from ecstatic fans, but with an empty stadium. One or two players ran uncertainly a few yards, then they all turned self-consciously and trotted back to the dressing room.”

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A small sneak preview of one answer each from just some of the club legends who are involved in the new A-Zs book! There’sover 220 pages of laughs and memories from over 30 club legends!

EAMON ZAYED

V IS FOR VANITY...

Which team mate spent the longest in front of the mirror?

I’ll pick somebody from that 2011 team. I mean, I know Paddy McEleney loved himself. I mean, he really loved himself, you know?! He was young and he though all the girls in Derry were after him!

He played up to it as well! He always made sure that his hair was on point and he was going out dressed well. So, yeah, I would say him.

GER O’BRIEN

W IS FOR WISHES...

Is there anything you’d

change about your career if you could do it all again?

I had a couple of opportunities to go away which I didn’t take. One to America, and one to Scotland. They’d probably be regrets maybe, or more of a question of what might have happened if…, you know.

But listen, I’m very proud to have played in the League Of Ireland for my whole career.

It’s given me so much and it’s given me a full time job after playing now. You know, I know the league inside out and I’m delighted to see the growth in the league now. It’s brilliant from the increase in spectators, to the stadiums being done up. I try not to have regrets because it’s part of what makes you who you are and I’m not just saying it, but I actually loved my time up in Derry. I moved up there, I brought my dogs up there and I was all in on that three year deal, and I probably, looking at the group that we had coming through and some of the older players who were still playing really well, I think we could have achieved something and that’s a regret in itself as well because there was such a good group in Derry and I committed myself to moving up and everything and I love

the city, I love the place, and I still have a lot of people up there that I speak to regularly.

So that’s a regret in itself because of what turned out in the end about the club having to kind of restart again. That’s the regret, not getting to see where that group could have got to. It’s a great ground, and every Friday night it was absolutely jammers! And I had a bit of a time up there because obviously I joined late in the preseason, and Stephen in fairness to him, put me straight into the team, and obviously Eddie was the right back for such a long time, and a local guy and a brilliant fella and a very good player. But it was great. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and I love going back up and seeing a lot of the same faces. So, you know, it’s brilliant.

KILLIAN BRENNAN

X IS FOR EXPERIENCE...

What’s the best atmosphere you’ve ever experienced as a player?

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I’d say it would have to be PSG away. I know it wasn’t full by any means, but it was still amazing.

They had two sets of supporters at either side of the ground and they were shouting back and forth at each other and then obviously our own supporters as well. I can remember their right back, Mendy, and obviously they had the running track around the pitch at the time, and Hargy was playing left back and I was playing left wing. And I think he pushed the ball by me, but I thought was going out of play and Hargy was going to meet him. But he’s kicked it round Hargy and I’m going ‘That’s going out of play.

That’s gone out for a goal kick.’

And he’s ran around Hargy, onto the track, and I could just hear the crowd going mad, and like, I’d pulled back at this stage. I was just going ‘That’s gone!’, and he’s come back off the track and on to the pitch again, and he’s nearly got there! But how he’s even managed to nearly get there I’ll never know! I remember Hargy looking at me then and going ‘This is going to be a long night!’ But yeah, the atmosphere was unreal. I remember even the bus when we

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arrived and you could even feel the crowd when they came out for their warm up, you know! It was crazy! I mean, I’ve played in bigger stadiums and that as well obviously, like the United one opening the Aviva was big as well, but the PSG one was brilliant.

Nutt. And I always remember sitting amongst all these football players thinking it was class.

Derry were out of the league at the time, so I’d never really seen these players before, so that was my first real experience of seeing senior footballers at that level.

LIAM COYLE

FELIX HEALY

Y IS FOR YOUNG...

Z IS FOR ZONE...

You know something, I remember I was only about 9 or 10 when I went to watch Coleraine.

Derry were out of the league at that time, and Coleraine had a lot of Derry players. And my Da, who played with Coleraine in the 50s, was invited up to a game. There used to be a minibus that used to go up to the Coleraine games. Jackie Cooley used to run all the Derry boys up and my dad was invited up and I remember being about 9 or 10 and sitting on the bus with Felix and Kevin Mahon and Shakes McDowell and Eddie Seydak actually played that match as well, and Eugene Mc-

No, not particularly. There was no real superstitions. I think sometimes when you get a good result, you tend to maybe wear the same thing the next time; until it doesn’t work that is! I’m sure there were small things like that I always did, you know, but it wasn’t a hard rule or anything. Looking back on it now, you tend to think, ‘I wore that particular jersey the day we won, so I’ll wear that again today’, or that shirt and tie, or whatever it was. I’m sure there was always something small that I maybe did back at the time.

What is your earliest memory of going to a football match?

Did you ever have any prematch rituals or superstitions to get you in the zone?

ORDER THE NEW DERRY CITY BOOK NOW!!

For any fans of the A-Z feature that we do every week, there’s a new Special Edition one-off Derry City book out that’s not to be missed!!

For 40 years, Derry City have produced our match day programme, CityView for every competitive home game. 10 years ago in 2015 under the guidance of a new editor for the first time, the popular A-Z player interview was introduced.

10 years later, and having done over 200 A-Z interviews with the current first team players, we’ve gone back to hear what some of the club legends from the 30 years previous to 2015 would answer to the now famous player interview, and we’ve made it into a special edition book to be released in October this year!

It’ll be over 220 pages long, and features special edition extended length interviews with club legends including Liam Coyle, Felix Healy, Owen Da Gama, Dermot O’Neill, Denis Tueart, Kevin Deery, Sean Hargan, Tony O’Doherty, Paul Doolin, Eamon Zayed, Peter Hutton, David Forde, Gavin Dykes, Gary Beckett and loads, loads

more...

We hear amazing stories about how they signed for the club, who the best players they’ve played with are and some hilarious insights into their teammates and their time at the club, their career, and what they’re up to now.

GET YOUR COPY NOW!!

- Claude’s Café, Shipquay Street, Derry - Bookmark, Letterkenny Shopping Centre, Co Donegal It’s the perfect Christmas present for any Derry City fans who remember all those club legends, or even younger fans that want to learn more about the club legends of the past. Contact andrew@derrycityfc.net for more information

The book is available online now priced at £12.99. Scan the QR code to the right to get your book delivered.

You can also buy locally at: - Ferry Clever, Bishop Street, Derry - Paul Martin Menswear, Greenhaw Road, Derry

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TONIGHT’S SQUADS DERRY CITY F.C.

SLIGO ROVERS F.C.

1 - BRIAN MAHER 2 - RONAN BOYCE 3 - CIARÁN COLL 6 - MARK CONNOLLY 7 - MICHAEL DUFFY 8 - WILL PATCHING 9 - PATRICK HOBAN 10 - PATRICK MCELENEY 11 - COLM WHELAN 12 - PAUL MCMULLAN 14 - BEN DOHERTY 15 - SADOU DIALLO 16 - SHANE MCELENEY 19 - JACOB DAVENPORT 20 - ANDRE WISDOM 21 - DANNY MULLEN 23 - CAMERON DUMMIGAN 25 - DUNCAN IDEHAN 26 - TADHG RYAN 27 - DANIEL KELLY 28 - ADAM O’REILLY 29 - SEAN ROBERTSON 31 - TIERNAN MCGINTY 35 - GLENN MCCOURT 39 - CONOR BARR 40 - CALUM MCCAY

1 - EDWARD MCGINTY 2 - JOHN ROSS WILSON 3 - REECE HUTCHINSON 4 - ELLIS CHAPMAN 5 - CHARLIE WIGGETT 7 - WILL FITZGERALD 8 - NIALL MORAHAN 9 - WILSON WAWERU 10 - STEPHEN MALLON 11 - LUKE PEARCE 15 - OLIVER DENHAM 17 - JACK HENRY-FRANCIS 18 - STEFAN RADOSAVLJEVIC 21 - JOHN MAHON 25 - SIMON POWER 27 - CONNOR MALLEY 30 - RICHARD BRUSH 31 - CONOR WALSH 34 - KAILIN BARLOW 35 - SEAN MCATEER 37 - CONOR CAMPBELL 38 - DAVID JONATHAN 39 - KYLE MCDONAGH 42 - CONOR CANNON 46 - CONOR REYNOLDS 47 - OWEN ELDING 52 - GARETH MCELROY

Manager: RUAIDHRÍ HIGGINS

Manager: JOHN RUSSELL

Tonight’s Match Sponsors:

CABLE AND ACCESSORIES

6 Balliniska Business Park, Springtown IND. EST., BT48 0LY Phone: (028) 71360110 | www.cableandaccessories.co.uk

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FIRST FOR SPORT IN THE NORTH-WEST bbc.co.uk/radiofoyle 22

CITY CUBS CORNER Send us in your photos and drawings to citycubs@derrycityfc.net and we’ll get them printed on the City Cubs page in the programme!!

SHIRT NUMBER MATHS CHALLENGE

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Can you do the maths with the shirt numbers to find out the name of the hidden Derry City player?

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you spot the FIVE differences between the two photos?

ANSWERS: SHIRT NUMBER MATHS: Patrick McEleney (10) + Paul McMullan (12) - Will Patching (8) = Ben Doherty (14) SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: 1) Referee’s card has disappeared; 2) Sponsor has disappeared from Bohemians socks; 3) Writing has disappeared; 4) Andre Wisdom’s number has changed to 2; 5) Referee’s vanishing spray has disappeared

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Home & Away Live Match Commentary From our Match Night Live team on 105.3fm and online at www.drive105.co.uk

Drive105mnl 28

FANZONE: MEET THE FANS A fan of the Candystripes for 20 years, Eugene Burns steps in the Fanzone tonight to reveal his thoughts and opinions on all things Derry City.

seen play?

Joey N’do Why? He was just a different level.

Pure class!

What’s the best ground, apart from the Brandywell, that you’ve seen Derry play in?

Obviously the Aviva stands out but my favourite away grounds in the LOI are Dalymount Park, Eamon Deacy Park & Richmond Park What goal sticks out in your mind?

Will Patching’s last minute free kick in Finn Park

Name: Eugene Burns How long have you been supporting Derry City?

A long time….. 20 years!

Why? Brilliant free kick, last minute against the old rivals and….I broke my ankle celebrating!

Name your best Derry City team (you can pick from any era) One to Eleven with Three subs 1. Gerard Doherty

2. Eddie McCallion 3. Peter Hutton 4.Ryan McBride 5. Gareth McGlynn 6. Barry Malloy 7. Kevin Deery 8. James McClean 9. Paddy McCourt 10. Gary Beckett 11. Mark Farren Subs: Nicky Low, Patrick McEleney, Kevin McHugh Best manager you’ve seen at Derry City?

Stephen Kenny Favourite half time snack?

A pint of Heineken! (Does that count as a snack? Lol) What one thing would you introduce that you feel would improve the match day experience?

Change the music playlist & turn the volume down so we can hear each other speak

Where do you sit in the Brandywell?

In the Mark Farren Stand Best Player you’ve seen playing for the Candystripes?

There have been a few but I’d have to say Peter Hutton was my favourite Why? He was the captain at the time I started supporting Derry & the captain when we won our first trophy I seen us win.

Best opposition player you’ve

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AWAY DAYS: DUNDALK

By Leo & Joseph McGeehan

Ground: Dundalk FC, Carrickmacross Road, Dundalk, County Louth, A91 KAX0 Directions: Follow the N52 from Ardee. Just before you reach the M1 Roundabout turn left onto the L3168 towards Rath. The road passes under the M1 at the village of Killaly.

At the junction in Rath turn right onto the R171 and follow into the town centre of Dundalk. You will see the floodlights of Oriel Park on the left just as you cross over the railway line. At the big roundabout next to the Police Station take the first turn onto the R178 Carrickmacross Road. You will then pass back over the railway line with the entrance to the railway station on the right. The entrance to Oriel Park is past two petrol stations on the left-hand side.

Parking: There is a small car park under the tree opposite the Main Stand, however, should this be full you should be able to park in Carrickmacross Road or the car park at Dundalk Railway Station, which costs €2.

Visiting Fans: Visiting fans enter the ground on their own turnstiles to the right of the Main Stand and are allocated two separate areas on this side of the ground. The first is the side wing of the Main Stand up against the screen end. The seating here offers an excellent elevated view of the pitch though you may find if you are in the rear rows the side screens block your view of the right-hand goal. The second area is immediately below the floodlight at the Carrickmacross end of the ground. Here you will find a deep rectangular shaped area

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of open terracing which has had a front section converted to seating.

The problem for away supporters at Oriel is that the fans tend to be separated between the two areas, and while the stand is cramped, it offers a better view than the terrace, as well as cover. Most away fans tend to choose the terrace if the weather is dry.

Programmes: Match programmes are on sale from sellers at every game just before you go through the turnstiles.

They are priced at €4.

Bars: Although there is the Lilywhites Supporters Bar inside the Main Stand this is normally only open to home fans. Right by the ground is Kennedys Bar, which is as you would expect is popular on matchdays. A Dundalk fan informs me; ‘On Ann Street which is less than five minutes’ walk from the ground, is the McGuiness Bar, the Jockey, and my personal favourite the Wee House Bar. Dundalk people are very welcoming and enjoy a chat. If you are a football fan and know your stuff you will be made very welcome. A 20-minute walk away is the Clan Na Gael GAA Club, that serves possibly one of the best pints of Guinness in Ireland. Although a private members club they will normally sign in visitors.’ Otherwise, the town centre is only a five-minute walk away from the ground, where there are plenty of pubs and eating places to be found.

Food/Drink: There is a variety of food & beverages options in Oriel Park on Friday nights. The ‘Brew Crew’ will be on site providing tea, coffee & minerals, along with other hot food vendors.

History: For the older generation who believe all football grounds should be close to the town centre, with no maps required, just the sight of four traditional floodlight pylons on full beam appearing over

Ticket Prices: Dundalk away tickets must be bought in advance - Ticket prices are as follows: Adults: Standing: €15 / Seating: €20 Students & OAP’s: Standing: €15 / Seating: €20 Kids Under 12: Standing: €5 / Seating: €8

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AWAY DAYS: DUNDALK continued... rooftops to guide the visitor to the match; then Oriel Park is for you!

The ground is located on the west side of Dundalk, and pleasingly is close to both the main line Railway Station and the busy town centre.

Putting old ground sentiments aside however all football clubs need to adapt to survive and possibly the most significant change to happen at the ground was in 2005 when Dundalk became the first Irish club to install an artificial playing surface.

Turning to the Main Stand side of the ground, the Main Stand, originally constructed in the 1960’s, sits proudly on the pitch centre line. The steep seating deck is raised above the club offices and players dressing rooms and has around 1,000 grey plastic seats.

Supporters are shielded from the elements by glazed screen ends which also have the benefit of allowing natural light into the stand. One drawback to the stand is that it has a line of supporting columns along its front which may impede your view of the pitch. A graceful new roof extension covers the paddock area either side of the players tunnel-this was need after a severe storm in 2007 caused damage to the old roof.

One noticeable aspect of how Oriel Park looks today is the large number of seats relative to its overall capacity. The club have been faced with the challenge of installing the minimal 3,000 seats to meet UEFA requirements for playing European games. This has led to the L-shaped shallow open terrace steps between the home turnstiles and the Town End having 9-10 rows of grey plastic seats fitted, whilst at the other end between the away turnstiles and the Carrickmacross End the deep rectangular area of terracing has had the same treatment

with the lowest 9-10 terrace steps receiving seating. Interestingly however the top half of the terrace directly beneath one of Oriel Park’s iconic floodlight pylons has been retained as a terrace with its few remaining crush barriers still in place, presumably to allow away supporters the choice to sit or stand and watch a game.

In 2005 Dundalk became the first Irish League Club to install an artificial pitch. This was replaced with a new 3G surface in 2016.

Cup Final on a balmy October night in 1988, the first leg of our historic treble. Another memorable night, was an epic 1-0 in horrific conditions in an FAI Cup Quarter-Final in 1995 where a Liam Coyle wonder goal from 45 yards, gave us the win.

Peter Hutton’s 670th and final Derry City game was at Oriel Park on 6th November 2009 where we won 2-1 thanks to goals from Gareth McGlynn (Penalty) and a late winner from Clive Delaney.

Positive Features: Oriel Park is another old ground with has not changed much since our first ever visit in a pre-season friendly game back in August 1986. It is a tight, intimate venue and because you are up close to the players it does create a good atmosphere. Despite the venue being very dated and in serious need of updating combined with the terrace being open to the elements, we always bring a good travelling support down here who always create a great atmosphere.

We have enjoyed a very mixed bag of results going back over the years at the venue. Over the last 14 years, we have only won 4 times. Until the league win their last season, it has been a long time since we came away from Oriel Park with a league win. We have struggled badly on their notorious artificial surface over the last 15 years.

Early this season back in May we played out a fairly dull 0 – 0 draw.

Last season, we won in September 3-1 with 2 goals from Will Patching and another from Ben Doherty), the earlier game in May had ended 2-2 (Ben Doherty and Cain Kavanagh with the goals).

However, we must not forget some great games in our club’s history. We can never forget the legendary 4-0 win in the League

Negative Features: Our record here is not great over the years, the tight surroundings, and the very poor quality of the artificial surface makes it a very difficult venue to play at. Shamrock Rovers have also struggled at this venue over the last 4-5 seasons, including their recent defeat at the venue two weeks ago.

Ratings: Atmosphere: 8/10 Accessibility: 8/10 Parking: 5/10 Facilities: 5/10 Historical Record: 4/10 Overall: 5.5/10

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BIT O’RED & WHITE: PLAYED FOR BOTH Will Fitzgerald: Current Sligo Rovers winger Will Fitzgerald came through the academy at Mervue United before switching to Limerick in 2016. After 42 senior appearances, the young wide player moved to Waterford in the summer window of 2019. With just a single goal under his belt at Waterford, he joined Derry City ahead of the 2021 campaign. A tricky winger, Fitzgerald appeared 36 times during his season on Foyleside before joining Sligo Rovers in 2022. At 24, he features regularly for John Russell’s men and has contributed to five league goals in 2024.

Stephen Mallon: Originally signed on-loan from Sheffield United, Belfast native Mallon is best remembered on Foyleside for a curling shot into the top corner on his first start against Bohemians in 2020. He scored again a week later, this time

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By Pól O’Hare against Waterford. After seventeen appearances for Derry City, Mallon returned to Sheffield United before signing permanently for Bohemians in January 2021. The wide-man scored once in seventeen games for Bohs before joining Cliftonville in July 2022, where he recently won the Irish Cup alongside former Derry City men Rory Hale, Ronan Hale, Nathan Gartside, Ryan Curran and Derry native Ben Wilson. Mallon signed for Sligo Rovers in the summer, where he has since played seven times.

Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe: English forward Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe joined Derry City on-loan from Colchester United after impressing on trial in 2019. He finished the campaign as the Premier Division top scorer, bagging a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Finn Harps on the final day. Junior left Colchester for Hapoel Hadera in 2020 but returned to Ireland with Sligo Rovers later that year. After half a season at the Showgrounds, where he netted twice in fourteen games, Junior signed for Dundalk, before rejoining Derry on-loan in the summer of 2021. Six goals in fifteen on loan at the Brandywell helped City to a higher placed league finish than his parent club. After a spell at Bohemians, where he scored five and assisted six in twenty games in 2022, Junior is now a Galway United player after recently lining out for Glentoran under former Derry and Bohemians boss Declan Devine.

Daniel Lafferty: Daniel Lafferty signed for Derry City in 2010 after three years on the books at Celtic and made 12 appearances as the Candystripes won the First Division. After a further 34 appearances in red and white, Championship side Burnley snapped up the left-back for £150,000 and gave him the number 3 shirt. He made 40 appearances for the Clarets, also playing for Rotherham United, Oldham Athletic and Sheffield United on loan. Sheffield signed him permanently in 2017 and loaned him to Peterborough United in 2019. He returned to Ireland that summer, signing for Shamrock Rovers. Lafferty won the FAI Cup that November, and the Premier Division title in 2020. Declan Devine brought him back to Derry ahead of the 2021 season, and Lafferty left for Sligo Rovers in 2023 after winning the FAI Cup with his hometown club. The left back scored the opener in a 2-1 defeat for the Bit’O’Red last July in the Brandywell. Aged 35, the former Northern Ireland international lines out for Ballymena United after a spell at Institute earlier in the year.

Jamie McDonagh: Known best for his work-rate and overlapping runs down the right wing, McDonagh signed for Derry City in 2018 after a spell at Sligo Rovers, where he made seven appearances. Beginning his career at Sheffield United, from where he made loan moves to Matlock Town, Chester and Al-

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BIT O’RED & WHITE: PLAYED FOR BOTH continued... freton Town, McDonagh made twenty-five appearances for Greenock Morton before moving back to Ireland in 2017. After playing more than 60 games for Derry, McDonagh moved to Belfast to join Glentoran in the summer of 2020. A move to Cliftonville followed in 2021 and, after loans at Glenavon and Newry City, McDonagh now plays for Portadown aged 28.

Colm Horgan: Colm Horgan came through the youth system at Salthill Devon before signing for Galway United in 2014. After four years the defender moved to Cork City and scored ten minutes into his debut against Bohemians April 2018. Horgan wouldn’t score for Cork City again, but did net an own-goal against Derry City in a 4-0 win for the Candystripes in September 2019. He spent the 2020 season at the Brandywell, before moving to Sligo Rovers

in 2021. Horgan scored once for Sligo and assisted Aidan Keena’s opener in a 2-1 UECL win over Bala Town. He was part of the Galway United side that won the First Division last year and has made twelve appearances in the Premier Division this term.

Patrick McClean: A product of Derry City’s academy, Patrick McClean made the move south to Waterford after two years with the Candystripes’ senior team ahead of the 2017 campaign. After just one season with the Blues, where the defender scored twice in 27 games, McClean signed for Sligo Rovers in 2018. A year later the 22 year old returned to Derry for a second spell. With 24 appearances in all in in red and white, McClean switched to Belfast side Glentoran in July 2019.

Now 27, the centre back captains the Glens and is closing in on 200 appearances.

Ally Roy: Scottish striker Ally Roy made his league debut for Hearts of Midlothian aged 17 against Raith Rovers in August 2014. After loans up and down the Scottish pyramid, Roy was loaned to Sligo Rovers in 2018.

An impressive start to the season saw Derry City sign the 21 year old in the summer to replace the departing Ronan Curtis, who had completed a move to Portsmouth worth more than £100k. The striker bagged eight goals in 2018 with the Candystripes, four of which came in a 12-2 FAI Cup win away to Blarney United. Roy also scored and assisted away to Dinamo Minsk

in Europa League qualifiers. He spent time with Partick Thistle, Airdrieoinians and Queen of the South before returning to Ireland with Glentoran in 2022.

Aged 27, and after spells with East Kilbride and Alloa Athletic, Ally Roy is currently with Stirling Albion in the Scottish League Twp. Éamon Zayed: Éamon Zayed played youth football for Leicester City before signing for Bray Wanderers in 2002 and, despite spending the 2004 and 2005 seasons on loan, he scored 54 goals in 105 games for Bray.

He joined Drogheda United in 2006, scoring 47 times in 71 outings, and was key to their 2007 Premier Division winning squad. After a spell at Sporting Fingal, Zayed joined Derry City in 2011, scoring 22 times in 36 appearances on his way to winning the PFAI Players’ Player of the Year award. He left Derry for Iranian side Persepolis in 2012, scoring a hat-trick on his debut in the Tehran Derby to earn legendary status as his side overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

He scored another hat-trick a month later, against Al-Shabab in the AFC Champions League.

Zayed returned to Ireland with Shamrock Rovers in 2013, scoring 4 goals before being loaned to Sligo Rovers. The forward netted 5 in 11 in Connacht and, after a year in Malaysia, Zayed had spells playing in the NASL and USL in America before retiring. He made 8 appearances for the Libyan national team and is now manager of NASL side Northern Colorado Hailstorm.

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This week... Derry City fan... GARY CAMPBELL 1. Who scored the 88th minute winner for Ireland against Finland last Thursday?

4.

2. Italy won the World Cup, Chelsea won the Premiership, and Richard Brush played his first game for Sligo Rovers. What was the year?

3. Which club did Ian Wright sign for when he left Arsenal?

4. Can you name the former Chelsea player pictured on the right.

5. The Comer Stand is one of the stands at which League

6. Of Ireland stadium?

6. Which Premiership club have the most players currently out on loan with 15?

7. Sligo boss John Russell recently had his contract extended, but what year did he get the Sligo job?

8. Derry’s FAI Cup Final opponents Drogheda were last in the final in 2013 when they faced tonight’s opponents Sligo Rovers. What was the score that day?

GARY’S ANSWERS: 1) I didn’t see the game, but I know Liam Scales scored; 2) 2010; 3) Didn’t he play for Celtic? Or did I make that up?!; 4) Looks like Juan Mata, but it’s not. Pass!; 5) It’s in Galway. Eamon Deacy Park; 6) Chelsea have a on of players, I’ll say them; 7) 2023; 8) Sligo won anyway. 3-2 I think it was

GARY’S SCORE: 3 out of 8! Can you beat it?

ANSWERS: 1) Robbie Brady; 2) 2006; 3) Leeds United; 4) Saul Niguez; 5) Eamon Deacy Park, Galway; 6) Chelsea; 7) 2022; 8) Sligo Rovers 3-2 Drogheda United

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BE THE CHALLENGER! CONTACT ANDREW@DERRYCITYFC.NET

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