Derry City manager Kenny Shiels
Kevin McHattie is suspended following his red card in the defeat to Dundalk while a quartet of others appear to be struggling according to the City boss.
Conor McDermott is out long term while Shiels also intimated that Rory Hale would take no part either. Jamie McDonagh appears doubtful as well while Dan Seaborne has been carrying a knock and hasn’t featured in the past few weeks.
The home side is currently struggling in 9th place in the Premier Division table but did post a 7th win of the league season last time out with a 2-0 verdict in Bray.
Shiels however paid tribute to his opposite number as the visitors prepared for an overnight stay on Shannonside.
“I like how Tommy Barrett goes about his business and how he likes his team to play football. It’s a very difficult challenge now that we’re in a ten team division but he has done an excellent job considering that challenge.
“We’re travelling down with a squad of 15 and several of them are development lads, but that’s fine. We know what we need to do and we’ll go there looking to win the game.
“We have four matches to go and we’re four points behind Bohs and Pats so it’s still possible to put some pressure on the teams above us.”
It looks like being a busy few weeks for the Derry manager as attention now starts to turn to the playing panel for 2019, with his first target being to secure the future of current players whose deals will soon be expiring.
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