Longford Town are back in the Premier Division of the SSE Airtricity League after a four season absence and welcome Derry City to Bishopsgate on Saturday evening with the game kicking-off at six o’clock.
The Town who won the First Division title back in 2014 spent two seasons in the top-flight before relegation in 2016 sent them back to the second-tier.
They missed out in the play-offs in 2019, losing to Cabinteely on penalties, however, after finishing fourth last season, they powered their way through the play-offs, dispatching UCD, Galway United & Shelbourne to earn promotion back to the Premier Division.
Derry City are a long established top-flight team since 2011 having won the 2010 First Division League title. Despite finishing fourth and qualifying for the Europa League in the 2019 season, the Candystripes struggled last season only finishing a point above the relegation play-off place side Shelbourne.
Longford Town are tipped by most fans and pundits to be in the bottom two at the end-of-the-season, while Derry City are expected to finish mid-table.
Longford Town manager, Daire Doyle, has kept the core of last seasons’ promotion winning squad including the Manley brothers, Joe Gorman, Shane Elworthy, Mick McDonnell, Aodh Dervan, Lee Steacy, Aaron McNally, Dean Zambra and Dylan Grimes.
Karl Chambers, the club’s longest serving player, contributed hugely to last seasons’ promotion success, and he is back for yet another season, while youngsters Mathew O’Brien and Aaron McCabe displayed lots of promise last season and are expected to play crucial roles from the bench.
Longford have made several new signings with manager, Daire Doyle, focusing on youth in the main. Paddy Kirk is an excellent defensive signing from Bohemians, Aaron O’Driscoll is a highly rated centre-half that has signed on-loan from Mansfield, Callum Thompson is an exciting winger who has been snapped up from Bray Wanderers and Aaron Robinson is an exciting midfield prospect who signed from Leinster Senior League side Bluebell United.
Conor Davis is an experienced forward having played with UCD, Derry City, and Reading FC. He most recently was part of the Cork City squad, but his time there was plagued by injury.
Finally, goalkeeper Mick Kelly and striker Aaron Dobbs both return to their former club. Dobbs of course played against Longford for Shelbourne in last seasons’ promotion/relegation play-off final. Derry City have vastly experienced players in their squad including the likes of defender Danny Lafferty who has played regular league football cross-channel with the likes of Sheffield United and Peterborough United, as well as featuring for Shamrock Rovers.
Ciaran Coll is another vastly experienced defender with the Candystripes who also had a superb career with Finn Harps.
Midfielders Ciaron Harkin and Jack Malone have been retained in the squad, and so has last seasons’ striker James Akintunde.
Derry City manager Declan Devine has also made some promising new acquisitions to the squad, especially in midfield.
William Fitzgerald, an attacking midfielder, who has featured for Irish Under 21’s, arrives from Waterford, while former Manchester City Academy player, Will Patching is on loan from Dundalk. The most interesting new midfield signing may be Irish Under 19 player Joe Hodge who arrives on a six-month loan deal from Manchester City, and he is tipped to make a huge impact.
Finally, for a side that only scored eighteen goals last season, the return to the club of striker David Parkhouse could provide the Candystripes with the firepower to finish in a comfortable mid-table position. Parkhouse scored nineteen goals for Derry in the 2019 season in which they finished in fourth place, and he has featured cross-channel for the likes of Hartlepool United and Stevenage.
There will be full live text updates on Saturday evening from Bishopsgate on www.FinalWhistle.ie starting from 5pm.
Tony Ghee
An experienced sports broadcaster and commentator for over two decades with Shannonside / Northern Sound Radio and the Longford Leader newspaper, amongst other regional outlets.