League of Ireland Premier Division:DERRY CITY are considering the possibility of applying to the League of Ireland for permission to bring in a goalkeeper after Darren Quigley broke a bone in his hand this week in training. The under-21 international joins Eugene Ferry on the injured list leaving City with just one fit senior goalkeeper - Gerard Doherty - and 17-year-old Paul Simon Tracey as cover.
The league has previously tended to decline permission for emergency signings to be made where the club in question still has one senior goalkeeper fit but City's desire to avoid having to find one at short notice in the event Doherty picks up a knock is understandable and the club may opt to make the application today.
Doherty, though, will be in goal for this evening's game against Cork City at Turner's Cross where Derry will be looking to maintain their winning start to the campaign. Games between these clubs had tended to go the home side's way in recent years but last season the southerners won twice at the Brandywell while the meeting in Cork ended 1-1.
Derry will again be without Mark McChrystal, Seán Hargan and Kevin Deery and so Peter Hutton is expected to start despite limping out of training on Wednesday with a groin strain.
Cork have Danny Murphy back from suspension but Gareth Farrelly and Billy Woods are sidelined with knee and ankle problems respectively.
With the champions yet to score their first goal of the campaign and looking for their first in three games once you throw in Tuesday's Setanta Cup affair in Cork, Stephen Henderson's contention that Cobh are "going to Drogheda to keep the score down", is far from being entirely fanciful but Ramblers will still have their work cut out if they are to take anything away from United Park. Alan Carey misses the trip through injury but Henderson has everyone else available to him.
Drogheda manager Paul Doolin still has a number of long-term injuries with Jason Gavin, Declan O'Brien and Shane Barrett a little short of making their return but Tony Grant is available again and could start tonight.
At Inchicore, St Patrick's Athletic are another side looking to make it three league wins in a row but Johnny McDonnell will have to cope with the fallout of last week's tussle at Bohemians with Dessie Byrne and Barry Ryan suspended. However, Stephen Brennan is back after a one-match ban and Gary Dempsey has recovered from the flu.
Shamrock Rovers have Tadgh Purcell available after his suspension but Chris Mulhall joins Aidan Price and Pádraig Amond on the sidelines for the visit of Bray Wanderers. Eddie Gormley's could do with reproducing the sort of display they managed in Cork following last week's disappointing home defeat by UCD but they'll have to do it without Kevin Doherty or Derek Foran, both of whom are still recovering from injuries picked up in pre-season, or Andy Myler who is ruled out by a groin strain. Paddy Kavanagh returns from suspension, though.
Bohemians travel to Sligo without Killian Brennan whose automatic ban for the red card he was shown in last Friday's Dublin derby may be followed by a more prolonged lay-off once the league's disciplinary panel get around to considering his case.
Kevin Hunt will be out for a month after breaking a bone in his foot in training earlier this week and Glen Cronin is still struggling with a hamstring problem and Neale Fenn has an abdominal muscle strain so Pat Fenlon is a little short of options. "There's plenty of quality in this squad," Fenlon insists, "but we have to increase our workrate if we are going to consistently win games."
His opposite number, Paul Cook, has a full squad to choose from, however, with Steve Feeney back from injury and in contention for a place in the Sligo team.
In the night's other game, UCD travel to Finn Harps hoping to build on last week's win against Bray at the Carlisle Grounds. Shaun Holmes is suspended so Paul Hegarty must make changes at the back where Declan Boyle is likely to start. Gary Beckett may play some part but Jonathon Minnock is still out with an Achilles tendon strain.
