SSE Airticity Premier Division: Derry City v Shelbourne (tonight, 7.45pm)
DERRY City may be welcoming FAI Cup finalists Shelbourne to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium tonight but manager Ruaidhrí Higgins insists there will be little thought given to the Aviva Stadium showpiece between the sides next month.
Damien Duff's side have put it up to Derry in their previous three encounters this season and Higgins feels it be the same again this evening.
"It's going to be a tough one and they've been really good recently, particularly against the teams towards the top end of the table," admitted Higgins, who welcomes back midfielder Will Patching from suspension.
"Shels have been a tough nut to crack, they're really good with good individual talent and they're well coached, so we know we're going to be up against it.
"They came and won here earlier in the season, we actually played extremely well in the first half that night, but sort of faded in the second half and they punished us, while we've had two 1-0 victories at Tolka Park this season, so the games have been nip and tuck and we expect no different on Friday."
Derry qualified for the cup final thanks to a 2-1 win over Treaty United last weekend while Shelbourne were 1-0 winners over Waterford United.
But while this evening's game will pit the finalists against each other, Higgins wants to see his side continue their recent league form which sees them six points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers with a game in hand.
"We're in good form, we've won nine domestic games on the spin and we're unbeaten domestically since the end of May and touch wood that run continues," he added.
"We just need to keep it going, the players are focused and full of confidence, enjoying their football and we need that to continue and we need people to drive that on.
"It can very quickly change if you take the eye off the ball or if you stop doing what you're doing individually and collectively, so nothing has changed for us. We've too many leaders now in the dressing room to kind of let that happen.
"There's also too much importance in each individual game, so we're fully focused, as we want to continue the run we're on and while we know it's going to be a very difficult game, we need to do everything in our power to pick up another three points."
Elsewhere tonight Stephen Bradley's leaders entertain neighbours St Patrick's Athletic, who themselves are fighting it out with third-placed Dundalk for that all important European spot.
Stephen O'Donnell's men face Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park and bottom side UCD host Drogheda.
In the First Division, champions Cork City take on Bray Wanderers at Turners Cross. Galway United have home advantage over Longford Town; Wexford make the trip to Treaty United and Waterford take on Athlone Town at the RSC.
