[kompressaur]

Aye very good CG. Thats supposed to be all forgotten about. Just another chapter in TDP history. Maybe one day we can all laugh about it. It has damaged us slightly but life goes on.

Preview: Derry City v Shelbourne

Derry City host Shelbourne at the Brandywell on Tuesday evening. Remarkably, although the game could decide the destination of the eircom League title and will have a huge bearing on its destination anyway, there is no live TV coverage of the game. The game will be the seventh and final time the sides meet this season having played each other in the League, League Cup, FAI Cup and Setanta Sports Cup.

Derry City vs Shelbourne
(Brandywell Stadium - 7:45 pm - Premier)
Referee : Damien Hancock
Coverage on RTE Radio 1 MW/LW and BBC Radio Foyle

At one point Derry City looked set to steamroller over Shelbourne and even when the Dublin club went ahead in the table, Derry had games in hand. However a run of just two wins in eight league games has seen the Candystripes slip off the pace. They can't afford any more slip-ups and trailing Shels by six points (albeit with a game in hand) means Tuesday night's game is must-win. Manager Stephen Kenny will be hoping to re-establish the Brandywell as a fortress after his side dropped points there in recent weeks to UCD, Bohemians and Drogheda United not to mention a home loss also at the hands of the Drogs.

Shelbourne are unbeaten in eight games and haven't lost in ninety minutes since losing to Derry at Tolka Park in the third round of the FAI Cup in late August. However, since then Shels eventually lost to Derry in the Final of the League Cup and were fortunate to claim a draw with Derry last time out - the 2-2 draw at Tolka Park in September.

That last meeting saw goalkeeper Pat Jennings sent off as Derry led 2-0 approaching half-time. Derry played the second half with striker Stephen O'Flynn in goal and two goals in the second period forced a draw.

Shelbourne have one win in fourteen senior games against Derry City and before their win against the Candystripes in June, had not beaten them since early in the 2004 season. Of the fourteen games, Derry have won five as well as clinching the League Cup Final in a penalty shoot-out. The remaining eight games have been drawn and including the League Cup Final, five have ended in scoreless draws.

Kevin McHugh is suspended for Derry City after his red card against Drogheda on Friday night. Killian Brennan, Ruaidhri Higgins, Barry Molloy and Ken Oman are all available again after suspensions. Brennan though is a doubt with a stomach muscle problem. Pat McCourt played for the closing twenty or so minutes of Friday night, his first game back after injury. Gary Beckett remains an injury concern but could return to increase Derry's striking options.

Owen Heary seems set to miss out with the recurrence of a hamstring injury which forced him off at half-time against UCD on Friday night. Assuming there is no change in Heary's situation, Greg O'Halloran should slot in at right back as he returns from suspension. Colin Hawkins should also return in defence after serving a one game ban with Alan Moore also available again after suspension.

League form for Derry City : DWWLD
League form for Shelbourne : WDWDW

Previous meeting(s) : Shelbourne 2-2 Derry City (22/09/2006)
Derry City 0-0 Shelbourne (18/09/2006)
Shelbourne 0-1 Derry City (27/08/2006)
Shelbourne 1-0 Derry City (06/06/2006)
Shelbourne 1-1 Derry City (03/04/2006)
IrishFootballOnline.com Prediction: Home win.

http://www.irishfootballonline.com/n...hp?newsid=5606