Irish Daily Star

SURVIVOR SERIES

Derry battling to stay in hunt GALWAY v DERRY CITY

- ■■Paul O’HEHIR

DERRY CITY boss Ruaidhri Higgins has declared the title race ‘a surival of the fittest’ ahead of a pivotal night.

The Candystrip­es went top of the table last Friday after winning 1-0 in Waterford to knock Shelbourne off their perch for the first time since March.

But they are only setting the pace on goal difference and have played a game more than Damien Duff’s Reds.

And Derry’s title hopes suffered a serious blow this week when key midfielder Cameron Dummigan was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

Setback

But although reeling from that setback, Higgins insists his players have clear focus with eight games to go.

“We’re on the home straight and we have experience in our dressing-room with lads who have been there and done it,” said the Derry gaffer.

“We have staff who have been there and done it. It’s really exciting and it’s to be embraced. It’s a privilege and we’ll crack on.”

On Dummigan, Higgins said ahead of tonight’s stiff test in Galway: “It’s really, really disappoint­ing news but it’s part of football.

“We’re going into the business end of the season so it’ll give someone else an opportunit­y to step up.

“Ronan Boyce is back in full training and has been doing well so that gives us a boost.”

The transfer window for outof-contract profession­als closes tomorrow but Higgins does not expect to do any business having brought in three players last week.

“Unless something jumps out that I feel will make us better, I don’t think we’ll be doing anything,” said the manager who let defender Sam Tood join Larne on loan this week.

“There’s eight games left for us and there’s going to be lots of twists and turns, but we have to focus on ourselves.

“We’ll try put in good performanc­es, but results are all that matters at this stage of the season.

Size

“We’’ll need to be smart against Galway as they have real physicalit­y, size and quality in their team.

“It’s a very good competitiv­e league and it’s survival of the fittest. If you win it this year you have shown some character.”

Galway were denied a win away to Shamrock Rovers on Sunday when the Hoops scored a late equaliser, but remain in the hunt for Europe.

And Tribe boss John Caulfield said: “We need to score more goals and create more chances and we know that. But you cannot fault the lads’ honesty and effort.

“We have to keep our feet on the ground and if we do, we can be hard opponents for every team and we can take points.”

 ?? ?? LEADER: Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins
LEADER: Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins
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