Derry City interim manager Mark Connolly has told his squad to park all thoughts of next month's FAI Cup final and concentrate on their push for fourth place in the Premier Division. The message comes as the team prepares for a key away fixture against Drogheda United at Weavers Park on Friday night.

Connolly, who took charge on an interim basis, stated that the primary target for the remainder of the season is clear. "Our target is fourth and we’ll be giving everything to try and get that," he said. "If we don’t, it certainly won’t be for the lack of trying, but that’s our goal from now until the end of the season."

Derry City currently sit fifth in the league table with 41 points from 33 matches, just two points behind Shelbourne with a game in hand. Their recent form has been mixed, with a 2-0 loss to Drogheda United on October 16 followed by a 2-0 cup win over Galway United secured by a Michael Duffy brace. The team has four league games left to close the gap, with the next fixture a return to Drogheda this Friday.

The interim boss indicated he may freshen up the lineup for the trip to Drogheda but ruled out wholesale changes. He acknowledged the difficulty of the task, noting that Kevin Doherty's Drogheda side are always a tough opponent. Connolly said players who have been performing well know there are others pushing for their spots, and some squad members deserve minutes after contributing during a busy period. He specifically mentioned that players like Callum McCay and Ciaran Coll, who have been in and out of the side, could be in line for more game time in the final matches, with the aim of giving them valuable goal minutes on the pitch. He expects a difficult night but wants to maintain momentum.

With top scorer Michael Duffy leading the line with 12 goals this season, Derry will look to improve on a recent league record that shows three wins, one draw, and one loss from their last five outings. The immediate focus is solely on the league, with the FAI Cup final against Waterford at the Aviva Stadium to be dealt with when it arrives. Connolly's side will aim to start this final run of games with a positive result to bolster their top-four ambitions.

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