Tough start to new season for Derry City

Derry City face a difficult start to the new season, beginning with a home game against Drogheda United on February 16.

Ruaidhri Higgins and his players will begin pre-season training soon, and they do so in the knowledge of what they face in the first month of a new campaign, which will test them to the full as they look to finally topple Shamrock Rovers as champions of Ireland.

Drogheda have been getting better with each passing season under the management of Kevin Doherty, and, having won at the Brandywell last April, they will not be daunted coming to Derry on the opening day.

The first away game of the season is huge for a number of reasons for the Candystripes, as they head to Sligo Rovers, the site of great pain for the club in 2023. Derry City lost 1-0 at the Showgrounds back in May and September, both results doing great damage to City's title hopes. In all, Derry City took just four points from a possible 12 from their Northwest neighbours in 2023, a number that Higgins has already insisted must improve going forward.

The Candystripes then face a massive double header in the first weekend of March, as they host St. Patrick's Athletic on the Friday before heading to Tallaght to face Shamrock Rovers just three days later, on the Monday night.

Former Candystripes Brandon and Cian Kavanagh will return to the Brandywell with St. Pat's on March 1, the FAI Cup winners having strengthened significantly as they aim to challenge Rovers for the title in 2024.

Derry City suffered their biggest defeat of the 2023 season when they lost 4-1 to St. Pat's last year, and also suffered penalty shoot-out pain as they relinquished their grip on the FAI Cup at the Brandywell last August. Higgins and his players did get the better of the Dublin side in both league games at the Brandywell however, a 2-0 win in April followed by a 3-0 win in the final game of the 2023 season.

If Derry City are to really challenge Shamrock Rovers for the title in 2024, their record against the champions will have to improve.

Last season, a 2-1 win at Tallaght early in the year added to the hope that Derry City's time had arrived, but City failed to win any of the next three league games against Rovers, taking just one point from a possible nine.

The fixture list means that there is little room for error in the first few weeks of the season for Higgins and his players.

Meanwhile, City players Patrick McEleney, Ben Doherty, Ciaran Coll and Sam Todd paid a visit to the Children’s Ward at Altnagelvin Hospital at the weekend to bring some Christmas cheer during the festive season. Tristar FC provided presents for the children, who were thrilled to see their favourite players up close.