Derry City FC finally face the decisive period of their season as they begin the first of two crunch games with Bohemians this month.
They take on Bohs in the semi-final of the FAI Cup this evening (kick off 7.45 pm).
The Candystripes have saved their best for the FAI Cup with St Patrick’s Athletic and Shelbourne already being eliminated by them, as well as First Division Cork City.
They have five more league games to haul back Shelbourne as well as seeing off other rivals, beginning with Bohs next week on home turf.
Defeat in Drogheda last week was a huge disappointment, yet results elsewhere did soften the blow.
For now they must focus on the quest to reach a 12th FAI Cup decider in Dublin.
Ruaidhri Higgins has not been discussing the possibility of winning two trophies in the next six weeks.
“I haven’t mentioned that to the players once, we haven’t spoken about it,” Higgins told the Derry Journal.
“You’ve seen the nature of the league this year, how up and down it’s been, how crazy it’s been really.
“You’d be foolish to talk like that, because it’s been quite erratic actually, and so us talking about a double would be pretty silly.
“We have enough to focus on, on Friday night in Dalymount Park, and we have such a big obstacle in our way, that we have to overcome, and that’s our only focus at this minute in time.
“We know that Bohs have improved, we know that they have a certain way of playing now, and they’ve had some good results in recent weeks, so we know we’re going to have to do our very best to win the game.”
Will Patching and Ben Doherty (injury) and Pat Hoban (bereavement) are doubtful for the visitors.
Bohs have their own concerns in the league with the relegation play-off still a possibility.
The Cup has been the chance to make up for a miserable campaign so far, something Alan Reynolds is very aware of.
The Gypsies boss said: “There is no doubting the size of the challenge ahead of us. Derry on their day are the best team in the league so, to a man, we will have to give absolutely everything of ourselves.
“We haven’t had the season we want in the league, so this is a massive opportunity for us to achieve something this year.
“This is where we want to be, and want to be regularly; in high-pressure games against the best teams in the league with prizes on the line. That is what we are all working towards and we have to seize the opportunity that is in front of us tonight.
“To do that we need to be at our very best from the first whistle. Against a team as good as Derry, we need to be ruthless in possession, in winning back possession, and show a killer instinct in front of goal that has evaded us too often this season.
“Our players go into this game with that determination. We know how good Derry are but we have shown that when we are at our very best, and have that vocal backing of our supporters, that we are capable of beating the best teams in this league.”
Jordan Flores returns but James Akintunde, Leigh Kavanagh and Alex Greive are doubts. James McManus, Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley remain absent.
Bohs gained some extra confidence from their league victory in Dundalk, a luxury Derry missed out on after that loss in Weavers Park.
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