City look to get down to business against local rivals

Institute v Derry City, Riverside Stadium, 7.45pm

Having seen several planned friendlies fall victims of the weather, Roddy Collins will be keeping his fingers cross that the rain holds off and that he can finally get a look at his players in a match scenario.  For fans alike, there has been a number of false starts, with proposed games against Limavady United and Coleraine both previously postponed.  However, with the weather set fair for today, it appears as if the City squad for 2014 will get their first run out in the annual Billy Kee memorial game versus Institute.

City have already faced up to their near neighbours in a training game at the Vale Centre, City’s pre-season base, but tonight’s fixture is likely to feature a more settled, and indeed recognisable, City side.  Roddy Collins confirmed the signing of Cliff Byrne yesterday but the new signing will not feature until the weekend, when City travel to Solitude to play Cliftonville.

However a number of those who have already signed for the club will feature so fans may get their first chance to see players such as Enda Curran, Danny Ventre and Mark Stewart turn out for the Candystripes as the squad builds up to the 2014 campaign.  The manager has also intimated that a few of the players still on trial at the club may feature in the fixture, with Aaron Barry and Tim Clancy amongst the stand out names from the trialists.

Clancy has been linked to the club for several weeks since his release from Hibernian and has been training with the club in recent days.  Aaron Barry is another Irish players currently contracted across the water, on the books of Sheffield United.  The youngster signed for United from Arlow town but has spent the last six months on loan with Dumbarton, where he featured regularly for the Scottish side.

Games against Stute have always been competitive affairs and with some many ex-City players on the books of the Waterside club, there is a familiarity of the starting line up.  Indeed Stephen O’Flynn is the latest former Candystripe to join Paul Kee’s side and has already been amongst the goals as the team chase promotion back to the top flight.  Institute saw their Intermediate Cup tie cancelled at the weekend, but with the weather holding fair so far, it appears as if tonight’s game will go ahead.

However please check DCFC Online and other social media channels for the latest news.

 

View full article

 

(unsubscribe from this feed)