Derry City hoping to follow FAI Cup success with Airtricity League title

The Candystripes face a difficult European draw against Trabzonspor, so are likely to focus all their attention on lifting their first Premier Division title in 16 years

ANALYSIS

By Danny O'Connor



Derry City sit in second-place at the mid-season break, and with a game in hand on leaders St Patrick's Athletic, Declan Devine's side have proven themselves to be definite title challengers. A trip to Turkey awaits them in the Europa League thanks to their FAI Cup success last season.



That FAI Cup final win can be seen as the impetus for the Candystripe's good form so far this year, helping give many of the younger players at the Brandywell the belief that they can be genuine contenders. Declan Devine's side underperformed in the league last season, finishing a whopping 13 points behind fourth placed Shamrock Rovers.



Despite losing their opener 1-0 away at holders Sligo Rovers, a 6-0 thrashing of UCD in their first home game set the tone for their season. Not least because it saw Rory Patterson bag the league's first 2013 hat-trick, and the Northern Ireland international has been immense up front ever since, sitting at the top of the goalscorers' chart with 15 goals.



Strike partner Michael Rafter has helped pick up any slack up front, but Derry's success to date has been thanks to a well-rounded squad, with strength in all areas of the pitch. In the off-season, Barry McNamee was on trial with Nottingham Forest, but keeping the midfielder as well as fellow youngsters Shane McEleney and Ryan McBride has helped Derry keep the bones of their 2012 FAI Cup winning squad intact.



A title challenge is a definite possibility, especially if Patterson can stay fit and keep getting his name on the scoresheet, while their Europa League Second Qualifying Round tie with Turkish side Trabzonspor provides them with a daunting trip to Turkey.



Drogheda United's sister club qualified for Europe as Turkish Cup runners-up, and have a few familiar names in their squad, including Austrian striker Marc Janko, Turkish international Halil Alintorp, and former Hibernian and Leicester City defender Sol Bamba.



Devine's reaction to the draw revealed that the Candystripes were far from optimistic. "We probably couldn't have got a more difficult tie," he told the Londonderry Sentinel. With management expecting an early exit from the competition, Derry will surely focus all their effort on a title challenge. Having lifted the FAI Cup last season, a first League of Ireland trophy since 1997 might be the natural progression for Devine's exciting outfit.