Crunch clash for Derry City Ladies as they bid for Premiership promotion

Derry City Ladies will secure promotion to the Irish League top flight if they beat Portadown tonight (KO 7.30pm).

The Candy Stripes face a long trip to Annagh United’s ground – Tandragee Road – in the hopes of picking up a similar result to three months ago, when they defeated their opponents 5-0 in the reverse fixture.

Dan Nolan’s team know that success if not a guarantee however, after they suffered a 5-0 defeat themselves when they visited Tandragee in the League Cup.

City will be without captain Shannon Dunne and right-back Eimear Callaghan (holidays), as well as Aiveen Lavery who has travelled to Taiwan as a physiotherapist for the Irish team in the World University Games, but they will welcome back strike force Rachel Barnaby and Niamh Connolly who both missed the last league game with Lisburn Ladies.

Newly signed goalkeeper Naomh Barr will also be available after missing out on that fixture also.

If they do suffer defeat tonight, City will still lift the title and reverse last season’s relegation if the deficit is four goals or less because if two teams finish level on points it goes down to head-to-head.