Derry City interim manager Mark Connolly has described the club's upcoming three-week fixture break as far from ideal. The Candystripes face Galway United in the league this Friday before a long wait until their FAI Cup semi-final on October 10th.
Connolly, who has overseen four wins, two draws and one defeat in his seven games in charge, acknowledged the disruption. "Listen it’s not ideal," he said. "Ideally you'd rather just be playing Friday on Friday. It's more of an atmosphere."
The break follows Friday's Premier Division clash at home to Galway United. Derry City currently sit fifth in the table with 38 points from 31 games, one point and one place ahead of their upcoming opponents. Their next competitive match after that is the cup semi-final away at Eamonn Deacy Park. In the meantime, Galway United have a league fixture against Shelbourne scheduled for September 25th.
Despite the looming cup tie, Connolly stressed that league points are the absolute priority. Derry City have five league games remaining after Friday's match. "We have five league games left and they’re all massive and the boys know that," the former centre-half stated. He added that the FAI Cup will take care of itself when the time comes.
The team's recent form has been mixed, with a 2-2 draw away to Waterford in their last outing. Michael Duffy, the club's top scorer this season with 12 goals, was on the scoresheet in that match.
Friday's game is a chance to build momentum before the pause. The last meeting between the sides ended in a 2-1 defeat for Derry City back in June. A positive result would consolidate their position in the top half of the standings. Connolly also praised the incredible support from the travelling fans at the recent Monday night game in Waterford.
Read the full report at Derry Journal
