Keely's focus gets away from the real dilemma

Just a couple of days after being handed the task of dramatically improving the club's league form, Dermot Keely turns his attention to Derry City's defence of the Carlsberg-sponsored FAI Cup this evening when Cobh Ramblers are due at the Brandywell for a second round tie.

The new manager admits he will be relying on the advice of others as he prepares and picks his team for a meeting with opponents that, after his spell with Kildare County, he probably knows at least as well as his own side.

"The bottom line is that it will be very much as was for this game," he says, "because I've only seen them train a couple of times which is hardly a basis for making sweeping changes.

"In the longer term, though, I'll be looking at everything and everyone. I mean there's plenty of talent here, I'm sure of that, but we're second from bottom in the table so something is clearly wrong. A club like this should be looking at winning a league within a couple of years and, while the immediate target is simply to win this game and then to work and get clear of the relegation zone, that would be the longer term target."

With David Forde gone and Alan Gough suspended for next month's European games a goalkeeper is an urgent requirement while Keely will also be on the look out for a striker. Also on his wish list is an assistant and his hope is that Gavin Dykes, who he believes has been offered the Kildare job, will follow him to the Brandywell.

Keely has just about everybody available for this evening's game but his opposite number, Dave Hill, has a variety of problems to contend with.

Robert Brosnan is still out injured, Jonathan Coker is absent due to personal commitments and Steve Yelverton was still unsure yesterday whether he would be able to get the time off from work required to travel.

"We have a few problems all right but we'll cope," says Hill. "We'll go up there and try to win it because if we did anything less we'd be sure to lose. We'll go at them with all guns blazing and see how we get on."