SSE Airtricity League Premier Division
Sligo Rovers v Derry City (Friday, 7.45pm)
WINGER Paul McMullan insists Derry City need to be focusing on winning their remaining six league games starting at Sligo Rovers on Friday.
The 27-year-old believes that the Candystripes need to be ready to pounce on any Shamrock Rovers slip-ups during the run-in and while everyone feels that Derry need to win all their remaining matches, he feels their mindset won’t change.
“We probably have to win all our remaining games but whenever you’re at a club like Derry, you want to win every game anyway,” he stated.
“To be honest we as a team expect to win every game, so our mindset doesn’t have to change from that aspect and I think we kind of know we don’t have much room for error, especially after not beating Shamrock Rovers last week.
“If we won all six of our remaining games, then they would have to win five of their last six matches to make sure and that’s not going to be an easy task to go and win that many games, so we just need to be there in case they make any mistakes.”
McMullan concedes that the Brandywell men, who currently sit four points behind The Hoops, are playing well in the league and he wants that to continue for the remainder of the campaign.
“Yeah we were disappointed after the Rovers game, especially because we got so close, but we’ve still got six games left and we’ve got to try and put as many points on the board as we can and then see where that leaves us,” he added.
“We’re on a good run in the league and especially our last six or seven games, so if we can carry that through for the last six matches, you just never know.”
The Bit O’Red go into this evening’s encounter knowing they still have a lot to play for as they try to avoid the relegation play-off spot and because of that the ex-Dundee United man, knows it’s going to be a difficult clash but he insists at this stage of the season it’s just all about the results.
“I think the way the league is set up, most teams, when it gets to this stage of the season, are still playing for something and I suppose that’s the value of having a smaller league, but we’ll be under no illusions that it’s going to be a difficult game for us,” he explained.
“We know going to Sligo that we’re going to have to produce our best if we want to take away the three points.
“You don’t get any points for playing nice stuff, if you play terrible and win 1-0, it’s more valuable to you at this stage of the season, than a good performance and drawing, but as I said we’re concentrating on trying to get as many points on the board as we can and see what happens at the end of the season.”
Despite only joining Derry in July, McMullan's experience of playing a major role in Dundee winning the Scottish Championship last season, means the talented winger is now a big player in Ruaidhrí Higgins' squad but he feels also having the likes of Michael Duffy, Cameron Dummigan and Patrick McEleney – who incidentally is out for a few weeks with an injury – in the Derry dressing room, is also helping.
“I think to be fair we’re fortunate enough we’ve a few of the lads who were at Dundalk when they had their spell of winning everything in Ireland,” he confirmed.
“It’s invaluable having people in our team and knowing how to get the job done and on the other side of it being second at the minute, it’s all about keeping going and seeing where it takes you.”
Elsewhere on Friday in the Premier Division, leaders Rovers host bottom side UCD; St Patrick’s Athletic entertain Dundalk; Cork City travel to Shelbourne and Bohemians make the trip again to Drogheda United, who they defeated in the Sports Direct FAI Cup quarter-final last Friday night.
In the First Division, Galway United need just a point at basement side Kerry to clinch the title. Waterford visit Longford Town; Athlone Town go to Treaty United and Wexford entertain Bray Wanderers.
