Derry aiming to make their Premier class tell

EA SPORTS CUP FINAL:HAVING FAIRLY comprehensively rained on Wexford Youths' parade three years ago by going to Ferrycarrig Park and winning the EA Sports-sponsored League Cup final 6-1 in a downpour, Stephen Kenny and Derry City head for Turner's Cross today knowing that they are unlikely to run out quite such easy winners against Cork City in this year's decider.

Both sides head into the game with slightly bigger fish to fry in the league but, having made it this far, neither is likely to take this evening’s game lightly given that victory brings with it a bit of cash and a fair bit of kudos.

For the northerners there is the added incentive of some bad days down south to make up for with Derry never having won at Turner’s Cross during Stephen Kenny’s reign as manager. There have been a few draws along the way but amongst the games that stick out are a league title decider back in 2005 when Cork had a bit too much for their rivals.

“I think that was a great Cork team,” says Kenny. “Five of their players went on to be capped by Ireland. They were a terrific team and too were too good for us on that day.

“They were a super team that year. But this has nothing to do with 2005, it is a completely different group of players. I don’t think there is any relevance to it.”

A lot has changed at both clubs during the years since, indeed, and Derry have come from almost nowhere to challenge for this year’s title as rank outsiders while Cork are focused on following them out of the First Division.

Kenny is unlikely to make anything like the number of changes he did for the games in this competition against Salthill Devon, UCD or Sligo in the earlier rounds while it is hard to see Tommy Dunne resting Graham Cummins and Davin O’Neill again as he did for the FAI Cup game against St Patrick’s Athletic a week ago; a decision that was vindicated by Cummins’ two goals in Waterford in midweek.

Dunne has options and may need them as, aside from the cup-tied Daryl Horgan, he has injury doubts about Neal Horgan, Gearoid Morrissey and Ian Turner. Kenny is without regular left back Danny Lafferty so Emmet Friars looks set to start while Eddie McCallion and Shane McEleney both face late tests.

Cork will be aiming to deprive Derry of their 10th League Cup title in the last 22 years.