Kenny urges his Candystripes to step up a gear

WITH Drogheda, Cork City and Shelbourne not in action tonight, Derry City have the chance to go top of the eircom League when they travel to Richmond Park to take on St Patrick’s Athletic.

But Derry boss Stephen Kenny reckons his team will have to step up their performance level against a Pat’s side which has now gone four games unbeaten in the league.

Derry come into the game off the back of a narrow victory over Longford Town in the League Cup. “It was not a great performance,” says Kenny. “We were lucky enough to win it though we wouldn’t have deserved to lose it either. But Pat’s will prove a very big challenge, particularly the way they’ve been playing at Richmond this season, and we’re going to have step up our whole performance.”

Candystripes striker Mark Farren is still a week away from full fitness but Kenny expects he’ll be back for the game against Cork City next week.

Waterford United, joint bottom of the table with Bray Wanderers, will be without the suspended John Hayes — red-carded in the Munster derby loss to Cork City — as well as Darren Young (hamstring) and Paul Ometeso, (calf) for the visit of Dublin City.

United were left ruing a couple of missed chances in the 2-0 defeat by Cork, a profligacy in front of goal which manager Mike Kerley recognises as the side’s biggest failing to date.

“The difference between ourselves and the likes of Cork is that with O’Flynn and Fenn upfront they’re lethal,” he says. “We have to get to that kind of standard when it comes to taking our chances. Our football has been very good. The players have taken a lot on board in the last couple of months in terms of what we want them to do. It’s just that extra step we have to go where we’re really clinical in front of goal.”

And although it is much too early in the season for panic, Kerley acknowledges that it’s important to generate some upward momentum.

“There is long way to go but if you stay in the bottom too long, it’s very hard to get out of it. It’s hard to lift the players week in and week out. We just need to get a win, and if we do get one the confidence will grow.”

In tonight’s other Premier Division game, mid-table Bohemians play host to Bray Wanderers at Dalymount Park. All games kick off at 7.45pm.

Leaders Drogheda face Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds tomorrow (7.30pm). And Paul Doolin’s men will go into the game boosted by the news that Jason Gavin has been named the eircom/Soccer Writers Association of Ireland Player of the Month for April.

With Gavin a rock in their defence, Drogheda didn’t concede a goal in April, stayed top of the eircom League and lifted the Setanta Sports Cup.