SSE Airtricity League Premier Division: Corke City v Derry City
(Friday, Turner's Cross, 7.45pm)
DESPITE their terrible record, Derry City caretaker boss Paul Hegarty is looking for three points at Cork City in front of the RTÉ cameras on Friday.
The Brandywell men have only secured three wins in 28 games and, after a replay, they lost at Turner's Cross only a few weeks ago in the FAI Cup quarter-final tie. Nevertheless, Hegarty is going to attack from the off.
"We have to go and try to win the match and the way we'll be set up, we'll be going offensively to try and get an early goal," he said.
"I don't think we can play for a draw. We have to go and try and win the game from the first whistle. We have a good attitude in the team, the players have trained well and we'll have a go. We know what we're up against because Cork are a very good side and they are sitting second in the league for a reason but, by the same token, maybe they'll have an off day.
"If you have a whole heap of experienced players, things like that would get up their nose but, with young players, all they're interested in is going and playing and doing the best they can.
"As a club, Derry have underachieved for the last two years, there's no doubt about that. But things happen and changes happened and it's never down to one particular thing. We don't want to be looking back, we just want to be looking forward and anything that has happened in the past is irrelevant now."
The Candystripes secured an impressive, hard-fought 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers last week and, because of that, Hegarty said the players had a wee spring in their step this week.
"It's always great when you win football matches and, to be fair, the players have been smashing," he added.
"Training has been great all week and now we're looking forward to the Cork match. The Rovers result was a boost and we played well on top of that. They had a few chances and Gerard [Doherty] made a few saves, but we had a lot of very good performances on the day."
Derry skipper Ryan McBride and Patrick McEleney are both doubtful for Friday's game with ankle ligaments and thigh injury problems, respectively.
Elsewhere on Friday in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, Drogheda United host Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers take on Galway United at Tallaght Stadium.
In the First Division, promotion chasing Finn Harps entertain fellow title contenders UCD, leaders Wexford Youths host Athlone Town, bottom side Waterford United visit Tolka Park to face Shelbourne and Cobh Ramblers travel to Cabinteely.
