National League: With Shelbourne distracted by tomorrow's Setanta Cup final at Tolka Park, Derry City can leapfrog the Dubliners to go top of the Premier Division this evening if they can overcome St Patrick's Athletic at the Brandywell.
John McDonnell's side have just taken just one point from their last three games and the visitors will be keen to halt their slide towards the bottom of the table but City's incentive to win looks the stronger as they seek to take top spot in front of their own fans.
The scale of the progress made by the club under Stephen Kenny is hinted at by the fact when City broke the 20-point mark with a win over St Patrick's last season it was in their 19th game of the campaign and the 1-0 victory came in early July.
Three points tonight would bring the team's tally to 22 from just 10 outings, a record built primarily on a dramatic improvement at the back, with Derry keeping seven clean sheets in nine league games to date and conceding fewer goals than any other side bar Shelbourne.
If there has been a problem so far it has been the lack of goals scored, not something traditionally associated with Kenny's side, with five of the six wins so far coming via a single goal scored but the manager is still understandably pleased with the extent of his side's progress in a remarkably short time.
"It (mention of the lack of goals) is a justifiable criticism when you look at the number of chances we've created," he says, "but how can I complain when we're winning games?"
Victory this evening would be the perfect springboard for next week's trip to Cork and in the circumstances, Kenny is unlikely to meddle needlessly with the side that started at Bray, although Stephen O'Flynn, who did particularly well after coming on in that game, is one of several players - Killian and Damien Brennan are others - pressing to break into the side.
Kevin Deery (who will have keyhole surgery to address a cartilage problem next week) and Barry Molloy are the home side's only injury problems, while Paul Donnelly misses out for the visitors due to an Achilles strain with David Bell coming in.
At the other end of the table, Shamrock Rovers will look to start the process of battling their way to safety in the wake of being deducted eight points when they take on Waterford United at Dalymount Park.
Lee Feeney (ankle) and Brian McGovern (ankle) are both ruled out again but of the likely starters, Jason McGuinness (calf) is the only serious doubt and Roddy Collins is hopeful the former Bohemians defender will be fit enough to start against last season's cup finalists.
Rovers would move to within a point of 11th place if they win and Finn Harps lose at United Park, where Paul Doolin's Drogheda will be aiming to extend their unbeaten league run to nine games.
Stuart Malcolm is likely to return to the centre of the home side's defence for the suspended Graham Gartland while Felix Healy travels with a full squad in the wake of a first win of the season last week over UCD.
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