Derry manager fears worst

Having been relieved of their claim to the name of "champs" last night, Derry City will this evening be battling to avoid becoming the Premier Division's chumps when they take on Drogheda United at the Brandywell.

Twelve months after they were acclaimed as the best team in the country, City must beat Drogheda if they are to have any chance of avoiding a relegation play-off with Limerick next week and even then they will need either UCD or Finn Harps to lose their games at Bohemians and Sligo respectively.

A five-goal victory would also be enough to save Felix Healy's side in the event of the students drawing at Dalymount but the city manager, more than most, knows that there is little in his side's recent form to indicate that they can overrun their visitors to that extent.

"There's been a lot of theories about what has gone wrong with us this year but the fact is that we've played well without scoring goals and after that happens in any team for a while the players end up going out there not expecting to score," said Healy last night.

"I look at this game and I can't see where the goals are going to come from and, if we end up playing Limerick next week, I can't see where they're going to come from then. All we can do, though, is go out there and give it our best which is certainly what we'll do."

Derry will be without Tom Mohan, James Keddy and Craig Taggart for the game but they do welcome back Liam Coyle who will partner Gary Beckett up front while Ryan Coyle and Sean Hargan play out wide in midfield.

Harps manager Charlie McGeever, meanwhile, will have a full strength panel for the trip to Sligo where a point will be enough to keep the Ballybofey side up.

"We'd expect the other two teams to win their games so there's no point in worrying about it. We know that we have to get a result and, if we don't, and end up in the play-offs then I certainly won't be making any excuses for anybody."