Ruaidhri Higgins has played down the importance of Derry City’s game at Shelbourne on Monday night (7.45pm), even though the result could have huge ramifications in the title race.
The Candystripes are three points behind the League leaders having played one game more, and defeat on Monday could potentially leave them nine points off Damien Duff’s side with just 10 games to play.
A win, however, would blow the League title race open completely, taking the teams level at the top, although Shelbourne would still have that one game in hand. But Higgins is not joining in on the hype at this stage, insisting it’s just another game.
“There’s 33 points to play for. I don’t think it’ll be the deciding factor by any stretch,” he said.
“Another thing I would say is that Shamrock Rovers are far from dead and buried in my opinion.
“There’s another couple of clubs creeping up behind as well. This is a really important game. There’s no denying that, but is it going to be a deciding factor? I doubt it.
“We’re going down to win the game. That’s our ambition and that’s what we’re going to try and do.
“The players are in great spirits.
“We’ve had good preparation and will continue to have good preparation leading into the game, so we’ll definitely be going down there with the intention of winning the game.”
Derry last won at Tolka Park in March 2022 when Ryan Graydon scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win, but goals and wins against Shels have been hard to come by since, with the last five games between the teams ending in draws.
“Bar the Cup Final (A 4-0 win for Derry in 2022), really, every game that we’ve played them over the last three years has been extremely tight,” Higgins acknowledged.
“They’ve improved dramatically. Their squads have improved dramatically.
“They’re a smashing team with full respect to them, but we know that we’re capable of beating anybody on any given day if we’re at our best.”
Ronan Boyce and Patrick McEleney both remain sidelined for Derry with long-term injury problems, while Duff has key duo Paddy Barrett and Tyreke Wilson missing through suspension.
“A win would be huge, but that’s all it would be,” Higgins stated.
“It would send us into the following Friday night full of confidence, I think.
“After disappointingly going out of Europe, we responded like true professionals against St Pat’s and put on an absolutely fantastic display in the circumstances, and the players deserve huge credit for that.
“If we can continue that type of form, we’ll be alright.
“It can be a moment of magic or a mistake or whatever. I think they’ll come and have a go at us, and we’ll have a go at them.
“It’ll be an interesting game, and it’s one to really, really look forward to and embrace, and that’s why we’re in football, for these types of games. I know our players will step up.”