General
- Thursday October 24th, 2024 @ 16:00
Match Preview: Saints Vs Derry City (25/10/24)
St Patrick's Athletic return to sold out Richmond Park for the final time in 2024 as they host Derry City in another huge game in the League of Ireland Premier Division.
Kick-off is on Friday at 7.45pm, with another excellent atmosphere expected in Inchicore.
St Pat's had their biggest home crowd (4,568) in over a decade for the win against Galway United last Friday, that number will be equalled or bettered tomorrow night.
For those St Pat's fans who didn't get a ticket, the game will be available on LOITV while we'll also have a free Watch Party and Audio Commentary, available on the St Patrick's Athletic App.
The Saints come into this game off the back of an excellent performance in Richmond Park, as they beat Galway United 2-1. An Aidan Keena double secured the three points and a seventh win in a row for Stephen Kenny's Saints.
This result made it an impressive run of seven league wins in a row and kept St Pat's in 4th place in the table, with 53 points from 34 games, two points off Derry City 2nd) and Shamrock Rovers (3rd) and four off leaders Shelbourne with two games to play.
OPPOSITION WATCH:
Friday will see the 2021 and 2023 Sports Direct FAI Cup winners host the 2022 winner and 2024 finalists in a clash of two of the top teams in the country.
Derry are currently 2nd in the LOI Premier Division table, with 55 points from their 34 games, and are just two points off Shelbourne at the top of the table and as mentioned, two ahead of The Saints.
Their last outing was a 2-0 win vs Dundalk at Oriel Park with goals from Colm Whelan and Will Patching.
The last meeting of these sides was a 3-0 win for Derry in the FAI Cup in July at the Brandywell, with goals from Danny Mullen and a Michael Duffy double.
The previous league encounter between the teams was on May 17th, with a Paul McMullan goal securing a 1-0 win at Richmond Park for Derry in Stephen Kenny's first game in charge of St Pat's.
On April 22nd, Derry won 3-1 at the Brandywell with two goals from Danny Mullen and a Patrick Hoban strike, despite a stunning finish from Conor Keeley.
In the first meeting of the season between these sides in March, Ruairi Keating scored a brilliant opener before Hoban and a late Danny Mullen goal stole all three points at the death for Derry.
The Saints won one, drew one, and lost two of their four league encounters against Derry City last season in the league.
Of course, the main fixture memory of 2023 was in the Sports Direct FAI Cup, with St Pat's beating Derry on penalties to progress to the 1/4 finals, before going on the lift the trophy at The Aviva Stadium.
The FAI Cup game was in the Brandywell in August, after a game that ended 0-0, the Saints won 4-3 on penalties.
Mason Melia, then 15 years old, stepped up to dispatch the winner coolly and confidently.
Pat's fans will also have fond memories of the 2014 FAI Cup final win against Derry City at The Aviva as a Christy Fagan double ended a 53-year wait for the trophy.
KENNY: "That has to be the objective to try to keep that run going and turn Derry over to get into the position to qualify for Europe at least"
Manager Stephen Kenny has been looking ahead to another big game:
"The players attitude in training has consistently been good throughout the season. We've been on a terrific run of results, so they want the games to come thick and fast.
We'll get a really tough game against Derry. We hadn't beaten Bohemians, Waterford or Shelbourne all season in the three previous rounds of games, we beat those three in hard fought games and Derry are another one.
They (Derry) have been in the ascendancy in all of the meetings this season, so we've got to keep that run going to turn Derry over on Friday. It must be the objective to get into the position to qualify for Europe at least."
Hear more from Stephen on our YouTube.
McCLELLAND: “It's a massive, massive game and hopefully we can come out on top"
Winger Jay McClelland is hoping his side can keep up the recent good form going into the final games, starting tomorrow night:
"Games against Derry are always difficult. They've gotten the better of us this year so I think we need to be on the front foot come Friday, and hopefully we can get a good result.
Friday night's we've been flying, winning every week, confidence has been building and that's the main thing.
I think at the start of the season, those tough games were turning into losses, and now those tough games are turning into wins which is great.
We're near the end of the season, with two games left, it's a massive, massive game and hopefully we can come out on top."
Watch our full chat with Jay on YouTube
TEAM NEWS:
Mason Melia (back) and Alex Nolan (hip), remain out with Stephen Kenny confirming during his pre-match press conference that he is "waiting on Jake Mulraney and Zack Elbouzedi" after they picked up knocks last Friday.
TICKETS / TV / UPDATES
Tickets are totally sold out.
The game will be live on LOITV with Oisin Langan and Keith Treacy in the commentary box, we'll have have free audio commentary of the game with Oisin and Keith and an interactive Watch Party on the Official St Patrick's Athletic App.
Updates will also be available across all the club's social media channels and keep an eye on our Whatsapp Channel for all the build up.
